Metamorphosis
by DayJune
Summary: Bella has always been the less popular sidekick of Edward Cullen, most popular boy in school. When she moves away, no one really notices, not even Edward. But when she comes back, beautiful and confident, everyone notices. "Nothing ever really goes away-it just changes into something else. Something beautiful." ― Sarah Ockler. DISCONTINUED.
1. Sidekick

**Hello. I went through a period in which I created a new account and wrote from there, but I've returned. I ****_did _****actually start a story there, and I'll most likely be continuing it in the near future. It's on my alternate username, LeeWrites13, and it is called Guardian Angel. Basically, in it, Bella and her daughter are homeless, and Edward and his daughter (wealthy) save them. I know, I know, shameless advertising, but I thought that some of my old readers would be interested. **

1. Sidekick

Being Edward Cullen's lackey wasn't the best way to live your high school life. I should know; I was his lackey.

He was beautiful, athletic, and witty, and I was this girl who hadn't cleared of acne or braces yet. It was understandable, as I was 14, and still in my early teenaged years, but standing next to Edward, someone whose face was unblemished, I looked like some puberty stricken adolescent.

I knew that Edward didn't think much of me. The only reason I was his sidekick was because our moms liked to associate with one another, and you know how Moms are. If they're friends, they like for their offspring to be best friends. It was ridiculous, but I wasn't going to tell my mom that; she'd blow a fuse.

"Bella, hurry up," Edward said, irritated. "I'm the captain of the team; if I'm late, it'd seem especially bad."

I brushed my frizzy hair with my fingers and pulled on a coat quickly. He was one of the most impatient people I knew, but on him, it seemed more an endearing trait than an annoying one.

He hurried out ahead of me, not bothering to hold the door for me. It slammed on my face. What a perfect gentleman.

By the time I was at the car, I could literally feel the anger emanating from Edward.

He hissed, "Bella, next time, if you're going to take loads of time, tell me! I'll just let your dad drop you off."

I flushed, as I always did when he decided to unleash his fury upon me- which was basically all the time.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "My zipper got caught."

"As always," he murmured, rolling his eyes. "Your clumsiness is getting really old, Bella. If you want attention, just ask for it."

"Edward, don't be so rude!" his mom exclaimed from the front seat. "Bella's your friend; is that how you talk like to all your friends?"

Edward smirked. "No, I only talk like this to my lamest friends, and Bella is the lamest of them all."

His mom ignored his biting comment, as she always did. I didn't understand why she let him tease me so rudely. Why didn't she tell my mom? I'd never know; Esme Cullen was a bit... odd, to say the least.

She pulled up at the school. Edward hopped out and shut the door on my face for the second time that day. Mrs. Cullen didn't say a word; she just stared out the window idly, waiting for me to get out. I sighed and climbed out.

When I arrived at the football field, Edward was standing in a huddle with his fellow teammates. He didn't even spare me a glance as I walked past him, to the stands. Jerk.

I took a seat next to Jessica Stanley, a wannabe popular girl. She gave me a scathing look and scooted away, her eyes showing the repulsion she felt. I rolled my eyes. How cliché of her.

I took out my diary and began writing. This is what I usually did when I went to Edward's football game. I was never interesting in football, but my mom made me go, so I decided to spend the time doing something I actually liked.

Moments later, the crowd erupted with cheers, and I knew we had won. I looked up and saw Edward embracing Tanya Denali, the meanest of them all. I rolled my eyes- of course he'd go for her.

Not bothering to congratulate him, I stalked past him and straight to the parking lot, where I waited for his mom to arrive and pick us up.

I wasn't happy being his friends, but I couldn't leave him. Both because I didn't want to and because it would make our moms' relationship tense.

My life could be so confusing.

**Very different from ****_Red_****, but please give it a chance?**

**Extra note: If you put this in 3/4 or 1/2 screen setting, it looks much more visually appealing.**


	2. Metamorphosis

**Get ready to be FURIOUS at Edward. He's HORRIBLE in the beginning of this chapter.**

**I am so good at subtlety - sarcasm.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Twilight... yeah.**

People talk to be heard; by anyone. I talk because no one will listen to me. Growing up with Edward made it so that I was used to being ignored. He never really cared about what I was feeling, or in arguments, whether I was right or not. He just seethed at me, assuming that I was the problem in our relationship.

"Bella, why can't you be more like Tanya?" he asked. "She's beautiful, charismatic, and clever. Your face looks like a slice of pizza, you have no social skills, and you're so awkward, it's laughable."

I ignored him and continued writing in my journal. I knew I shouldn't have ignored him, but I did. I would live to regret it.

"Are you ignoring me?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

I didn't answer.

"Well, you'll regret it," he sneered.

He then stood up and announced, "Everyone, listen up, because I have something interesting to share."

I looked at him, panicked. I told him many of my secrets, because I never imagined he actually listened to them. He'd also been there to witness many of my more embarrassing moments. I hid underneath the hood of my sweater and silently pleaded with him, through my eyes.

He smiled coldly and said, "Bella has a crush on Mike Newton."

I was horrified. I didn't remembered telling him that.

"Edward, how did you know about that?" I hissed, looking frantically around the room.

Everyone was laughing at me. They were probably thinking, _Bella likes Mike? He's so out of her league. She's so embarrassing._

"I looked in your journal. I'm glad I did," he said smugly, sitting down once more. He turned to Mike, who was sitting at the opposite end of the table, looking slightly disgusted.

"Mike, how do you feel about this?" Edward asked, smirking.

I covered my face with my hands. If I didn't feel so paralyzed, I'd be running out of the cafeteria right now.

I heard Mike saying, "I'd never date _her_! She looks like my great Aunt Magee, and that woman's pretty ugly."

My face burned and tears slid down my face.

I _hated_ Edward Cullen.

* * *

"Bella, your father got a promotion. We're moving to New York City in three weeks," Renee said.

"Okay," I replied simply.

She looked surprised. "You're fine with it? I thought you'd be upset."

I almost laughed. Upset? That I was leaving Forks? In which Edward and his groupies resided? Yeah, right.

"No," I said sweetly. "I'm excited."

She looked pleasantly surprised. "I'm glad to hear that."

* * *

My first day at the new school in Manhattan, Anthony B. (**my creation**) went decently. People here weren't as superficial as those in Forks, and they didn't outwardly display any revulsion of me or my pimpled face and crooked teeth. And I also met someone new.

Her name was Gia Montrose, and she was intimidatingly perfect. She seemed to like me, for some mysterious reason, and she was the only one who made an effort to get to know me.

She reminded me of Edward when it came to her looks. She had his bronze hair and slender figure. However, her eyes were blue, and she was tan.

Surprisingly, there was no social hierarchy in this school. Friends hung out with friends, and you didn't see 'popular' kids or 'nerdy' kids. That was my favorite thing about this school.

I had a feeling my life here would be just fine.

* * *

**3 years later**

"Are you serious?" I asked, glaring at Renee.

"Now that Charlie and I are divorced, we don't need to stay here anymore. And I really miss Forks," she said sadly.

I couldn't believe it. Now that I was finally comfortable with my life here at Forks, she was making us move? I understood she wasn't ecstatic staying here, but couldn't she have waited until the end of my senior year? I was 17 now and two months into my senior year. It wouldn't be that long of a wait.

"Can't we just stay for the rest of the year? I'm finally getting comfortable here, and Gia and I have grown really close," I pleaded.

Renee sighed. "Bella, you know I don't like doing this to you, but there are just too many things about Forks that I miss, and staying here just brings back bad memories. Why does Forks repulse you so much?"

I flinched as bad memories came back to me. Edward's fiery attitude, the teasing I had to endure after the incident with Mike, feeling inferior to everyone.

"I just didn't like Forks. It's too green; too rainy; too small," I lied, having become better at it throughout the last few years.

Renee bought it. "It was consistent, and I liked that. We're leaving, Bella, and I won't hear another word from you about it, okay?"

I nodded and walked to my room, feeling desolate and anxious. I wasn't afraid I would endure more teasing; I had changed a lot since my 14 year old self. My acne had cleared, naturally, and my braces were off after many orthodontist trips. My hair had grown from its short length to waist length, and while I still lacked the more visible curves, I wasn't such a stick anymore. I wore better clothes due to Gia's incessant nagging, but I still stayed true to my Converse addiction, and I had about 24 pairs... don't ask.

I wasn't this shy, awkward girl anymore. Gia taught me that being self-conscious was useless. You only life once, so why should you live it worrying perpetually? To say the least, Gia really influenced me and made me a better person. I would owe her forever, and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her.

I dialed her number and pressed call.

"Hello?" her smooth voice infiltrated the receiving end.

"Hi," I replied softly.

"Bella, what's up?" she exclaimed.

"Well, I have bad news... I'm moving back to Forks," I said.

Silence.

"What?" she whispered, disbelievingly.

"Yeah. Mom's been acting kind of weird since the whole divorce thing, but I never imagined she would do this," I mused.

"What am I going to do without you?" she asked.

"You're beautiful, smart, and charismatic. You'll make new friends very soon," I told her, laughing at the idea of her being insecure.

She sighed. "But I don't want to have another best friend."

"I know, you're the best friend I'll ever have, too."

And with that, we said goodbye, but I knew this wasn't going to be the last time we would converse.

**I know, it feels rushed to me, too, but I didn't think writing about her experience in Manhattan would be... exciting, so I just skipped ahead.**

**I have a whole week off of school (president's week), so I'll be writing a lot. I hate to admit it, but reviews do motivate me and will probably encourage me to update faster.**

**Maybe... a total of 12 reviews by the next chapter? Is that too much?**

**I WILL UPDATE REGARDLESS, but I'm just setting goals here. Reviews don't take very long to type up, and they brighten my day considerably.**

**xXDayJuneXx**


	3. Reunion

**I had fun writing this chapter, so I hope you have as much fun reading it. It's an especially long one, on request of a reviewer.**

**By the way, many of you were hoping that Bella would get her revenge on Edward, but after reading this chapter, many of you might change your minds. Her getting revenge on him, in my opinion, would be sort of cliched. However, she does get revenge on certain _others_.**

"Hi, I'm Isabella Swan. I transferred here from New York."

Ms. Cole, looking as lovely as ever, muttered, "Welcome, I'm Ms. Cole."

She dug through a metal cabinet and took out my files. "Here's your schedule. Make sure to have your teachers sign this slip and return it to me by the end of the day. If you get lost, just ask one of your fellow students. We're all nice people here."

Funny how I don't remember people in this school being nice.

I thanked her and walked out. Forks High's hallways were always sparse of students, and today was no exception. Only the overachievers came to school this early, and in Forks, not a lot of students chose to be overachievers. I emptied extraneous books into my locker and shut it with a loud bang.

When I swiveled around, I came face to face with a boy with greasy black hair and a creepy smile on his face. "Hi, newbie, I'm Eric Yorkie, and I'm the one-man welcome committee!"

I didn't recognize his face, so he probably came after the whole incident. "Hi, I'm Isabella Swan. I like to be called Bella."

He beamed, as if he wasn't used to people actually answering him when he spoke. "It's nice meeting you, Bella. You'll find that this school is easily navigable, but if you ever need my assistance, you can find me at locker 1278. I never really stray far away from there."

"Great," I answered hesitantly. "Thanks."

"No problem! What's your first class?"

I peered down at my schedule. "Erm... Advanced Spanish with Ms. Martinez in room 244."

He brightened up. "I have that too!"

I gave him a halfhearted smile. He may be nice, but he was also a bit clingy and annoying. "That's good."

He nodded and took me by the arm, leading me to the correct room. I would have pulled away from him, but he seemed like a genuinely sweet guy, and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He didn't deserve that.

As soon as we arrived, I said goodbye to him and introduced myself to Ms. Rodriguez, who was reading a romantic novel with Spanish lettering on the cover. She took one glance at me and frowned.

"Who are you?" she asked in heavily accented English.

"I'm a new student. My name is Isabella Swan," I replied, looking at her nervously.

She didn't seem like the sweetest person in the world.

She held out a hand expectantly. I looked at her blankly. Um, what? She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"The slip I have to sign," she said, letting out an exasperated sigh once more. "Kids these days," she mumbled.

I quickly gave her the slip and as she signed it, I noticed more and more kids entering the room. I grabbed it from her as soon as she was done and slipped into a seat at the back of the room. When class began, I stayed low and hoped that she wasn't one of those teachers who made new students introduce themselves. I had gained more confidence, but that didn't mean I thrived under attention!

Unfortunately, she loved seeing kids uncomfortable, so she announced, "Class, we have a new student. Her name is Annabella Sam."

Wow, was her messing up my name on purpose or a complete, idiotic accident? I stood up and looked around the classroom, searching for any signs of recognition on peoples' faces. Did they remember me from 3 years ago? Apparently, they did not, because no one really showed signs of familiarity. Perfect.

"Um, it's Isabella Swan," I corrected her. She sneered.

I continued, "Hi, I'm from Manhattan, and it's nice to meet you all."

There was no response, other than one boy whistling in appreciation. Idiot.

I shot him a scathing look and he looked taken aback. Were all girls here that submissive to such treatment?

Wait a second, was that Mike Newton? The same Mike who publicly rejected and humiliated me all those years ago? He had the same spiky blonde hair, baby cheeks, and sparkling blue eyes. It must be him!

I whispered to the girl next to me, "Is that Mike Newton?"

She looked surprised. "Yeah, why?"

"No particular reason; we just have a small history," I replied, smiling.

Oh, Mike, you won't know what hit you.

* * *

You would think that Forks had changed at least a little. But no, nothing had changed. At all.

Tanya was still at the center of attention with her cronies, and the jocks sat at a separate table close by her. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes. It was times like these that made me really miss Anthony B. I sat at an isolated table near the back of the cafeteria and pulled my hoodie up over my head to keep from getting noticed. I wanted to get Mike back, but not today.

I should've known I wouldn't be able to hide. Forks was too small for that.

A shadow fell over the table, and I looked up. Standing at the head of the table was Tanya in a skimpy outfit, and her friends in their skimpy outfits. She flipped her blonde hair and smiled a sickly sweet smile.

"Hey there! You're the new student, right?" she asked, acting friendly when I knew what she was truly like; a coldhearted slut.

I decided to play along. It'd be easier to get my revenge if she trusted me.

"Hi! And yes, I am. I'm Isabella Swan, but my friends call me Bella, and I'm sure we'll be the closest of friends, right?" I asked, practically gagging from the mere thought of being associated with the likes of her.

"Of course, that is, if you join the cheerleading squad. I only hang out with people who participate in the same activities as me. It makes me closer to them," she replied, flipping her hair again.

I'd have to keep count. Hair Flip: 2.

"I would, but I'm super clumsy," I pretended to be sad. "If only I were a dancer; then I'd be able to join the squad and hang out with someone cool and pretty like you!" Cue dumb face.

She took the compliments and practically swooned from happiness. "You're pretty cool for a new kid. I'll just have to teach you how to cheer! It's not that hard. Why don't you sit with my friends and I? Maybe I'll introduce you to a guy."

I stood up and followed her to the center table. I could feel hundreds of eyes following my every move, and it scared me to a certain extent.

Before we could reach the table, we were intercepted by Eric. What could I do now? Be nice to Eric or risk not being able to avenge myself? I decided to go with the former. I remembered how I used to be teased, and I would never inflict the same fate upon Eric.

"Hi, Eric," I greeted politely.

He beamed. "Hi, Bella. You want to sit with me and my friends?"

I glanced at Tanya nervously. She looked both bored and irritated.

"Eric Yorkie, get out of our way. Bella's sitting with us," she ordered, observing her fingernails in a bored manner.

Eric looked at me, surprised. "You're sitting with Tanya?"

I couldn't help feeling slightly offended. "Yes, why is that so hard to believe?"

"I just thought you were different," he responded, looking disappointed.

Urgh, how could I explain to him that the only reason I was doing this was to get my revenge? I gave him the best innocent look I could possibly give, but he just shook his head and walked away.

"Finally, nerds like him should just stay away," Tanya said snidely.

I didn't respond, but I didn't think she'd mind. We sat down at the cheerleaders's table and conversation about boys and shopping ensued. I didn't really contribute, but no one really cared. And that's when I remembered Edward... it wasn't a voluntary thought. It came sporadically, and I wished that it had never came in the first place.

Where was he, was my dominant thought. Did he switch schools?

I decided to sneak this particular topic into the conversation. "Um, I heard that Edward Cullen went to this school. Where is he?"

Tanya's nose wrnikled. "Oh, him? He used to be a part of us, but he slowly morphed into this tortured artistic recluse, and ever since junior year, he's stopped hanging with us. He's nothing in my mind."

I was shocked, to say the least. I had expected for Edward to have still been the rude, but charming popular boy of the school. But, instead, he was this completely different person whom no one really talked to anymore? How was I supposed to feel mad at a person like that?

"Does he even eat lunch anymore?" I wondered aloud.

"Yeah, but alone," Tanya replied, looking towards the back of the cafeteria. I followed the direction of her gaze and saw an older, and more handsome Edward Cullen eating alone.

He looked so different. He was still dazzling beyond words, but his attire was changed. He used to have a preppy sort of style, with the occasional letterman jacket, and now, he wore black jeans and a long black t-shirt with a gray hoodie thrown over it. He was sketching a picture in a moleskin journal, and he was wearing headphones, which made him seem even more oblivious and separated to the world.

Out of all the things I imagined happening to him, this was not one of them.

"So, Bella, tell us a little about yourself," Tanya said, changing the subject. It was clear that Edward was a touchy subject for her. He had probably dumped her in the past; typical old Edward.

"I came here from Manhattan," I answered shortly.

It was obvious they didn't remember me, and if I gave out any more information, they might actually recognize me, and that would actually ruin everything.

Apparently, Tanya wasn't satisfied with my answer, because she impatiently questioned, "Where did you live before Manhattan? Or were you born in Manhattan?"

I felt sweat pooling at my forehead. "Um, I lived somewhere else before Manhattan."

"Yes, but where?" she persisted, growing more annoyed as the seconds passed. Her friends looked at me expectantly.

The bell rang just then, making relief flood through my system. I was, quite literally, saved by the bell. I waved goodbye to the lot of them and hightailed it out of there. That interrogation session was terrible uncomfortable.

I walked to Biology in a hurry, eager to immerse myself in schoolwork to distract myself from what just happened. When I got there, Mr. Banner, the teacher, signed the slip and pointed to an empty seat. Well, most of the class was empty, but apparently, that was the one empty seat with the class present.

I waited in silence as students started to walk into the room. Finally, every seat will filled except the one near mine. I got a bit anxious; was I going be stuck with a lab partner who'd never get to class on time? Someone who never did their share of the work? To say I was worried was a major understatement.

Five minutes after class began, Edward walked in, still listening to music on his headphones. Mr. Banner cleared his throat loudly, causing Edward to stop walking. Edward took off the headphones and turned to Mr. Banner.

"Mr. Cullen, what's your excuse this time?" Mr. Banner asked, clearly disappointed.

"Hm," Edward replied, smirking. "I didn't hear the bell signifying the end of lunch and got the memo a bit later than everyone else."

"You missed the bell because you're constantly listening to music on those headphones of yours! If you're late one more time, I'll have to confiscate them, and you know I have every right to," Mr. Banner scolded.

"Didn't say you didn't," Edward murmured.

Mr. Banner spluttered, "Take a seat, now, Mr. Cullen!"

Edward chuckled a little and approached the empty seat next to me. And that's when I began to panic a bit. He was my lab partner?

I was officially dead.

**I bet most of you were expecting for Edward to be the same egotistical jock he was in the first 2 chapters, but I decided to stray away from the typical path and do something out of the ordinary. I hope I pleasantly surprised you all.**

**By the way, thank you for the abundance of reviews! 19 reviews for one chapter? That's the most I've ever gotten for just ONE. SQUEE! I honestly cannot contain my happiness, and I will update by tomorrow JUST FOR YOU GUYS.**

**Person who guesses what's going to happen gets a preview of the next chapter! In other words, no one will get a preview because it's going to be THAT unexpected. In fact, I didn't know it was going to happen until while I was writing it.**

**ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT: There's a poll up on my profile. It would mean the world to me if you could go and vote on it. I'm thinking of writing a new story and I need your input.**

**xXDayJuneXx**


	4. Friends

**I'm writing like a madwoman in my room, ignoring the rest of civilization (aka my family).**

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. Can we get to... 46 by the next chapter? I know you guys can make it happen :)**

**I hope you enjoy!**

As Mr. Banner explained the lab we would be working on today, I glanced at Edward out of the corner of my eye. He continued drawing in his journal, not listening to Mr. Banner.

"Okay, class, you can begin now," Mr. Banner announced.

I hid behind my hair and muttered, "So, um..."

Shoot, I hadn't been listening to Mr. Banner, and I didn't know in the world we were supposed to do. Edward was going to think I was such an idiot. Wait, since when did I care about what he thought of me? I was different now!

"Do you have any idea of what we're supposed to do?" I asked him.

Edward looked up, his green eyes locking with mine. Admittedly, I couldn't help feeling a bit flustered. He had been cute before, but now, he was simply beautiful.

He gave me a wry smile. "Short attention span?"

"No," I replied, offended. "It's just that... Look, I didn't talk to you to be interrogated. Can you please just explain what we're doing?"

He sighed. "I was drawing, and even I got what we were supposed to do."

"Let's move on from my idiocy and actually start the experiment," I grumbled, not looking at him.

"First, tell me your name. If we're going to be lab partners, we should know what to call each other," he said, amusement lacing his tone.

My heart quite literally stopped. Okay, so not literally, but you get what I'm trying to say. He would most definitely remember my name. Tanya hadn't because we hadn't been that close, but Edward and I had known each other for 14 years, since birth, before I moved. It would be impossible for him _not_ to recognize my name.

"Um," I mumbled. Please, save me! I mentally told Mr. Banner, practically begging for him to realize that we weren't working and reprimand us.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Do you not have a name?"

"First, tell me yours," I insisted, stalling for time, though it was inevitable that I'd have to tell him my name eventually.

"Edward Cullen," he responded, looking a bit weirded out. I couldn't blame him.

I glanced around the classroom. Mr. Banner was at another partnership's table, looking angry. From the looks of it, the partnership had been busier kissing than actually working. It would be a while before he came over here. I sighed, feeling resigned. Fine, he would be aware of my name, but I'd switch it up a bit.

"Izzy," I said, keeping myself from wrinkling my nose. I absolutely despised that nickname, but I wasn't about to reveal my name quite yet.

"Izzy?" he repeated. "What's it short for?"

Another lie... I needed another lie! "Elizabeth."

"Oh," he replied.

"Oh?"

"Well, Elizabeth is such a pretty name. Why shorten it?" he asked.

"Because we live in a time where, even if I didn't shorten it, people would do so spontaneously," I answered, hoping he would buy my lies.

He did. "I agree. You don't know how many people call me Ed or Eddie, when all I want to be referred to as is Edward."

I nodded halfheartedly.

And with that, Mr. Banner came over, busted us, and made us start the lab right underneath his nose.

* * *

After school, at home, that's when I began hyperventilating. I had told Edward that I was a girl named Elizabeth... what if he asked around and everyone told him that the new girl's name wasn't Elizabeth... it was Isabella Swan!

And then, I began to relax when I realized that Tanya had said that Edward was a social recluse... he most likely would not associate with others, which led to him never knowing.

And then, that's when I began to realize that, eventually, Mr. Banner would refer to me as Bella or Isabella, and Edward would immediately understand.

I decided that, tomorrow, I'd tell him.

* * *

"Hi," I greeted Edward as I took a seat by him.

He looked up and replied shortly, "Hey."

So he was one of those moody types. Whatever, I'd deal.

"Look, I've got to tell you something," I told him, willing him to look up from that stupid moleskin journal of his. No wonder he was a social recluse! He rarely glanced up from his pretty, but annoyingly time consuming drawings!

Five seconds passed to no avail. He just wouldn't give me the time of day. Looks like I'd have to tell him with his head down, and hope that he'd hear it the first time around.

"My name isn't actually Elizabeth," I said slowly. He didn't look up.

"It's Isabella. Isabella Swan," I finished even more slowly.

His head shot up, green eyes widened. His jaw dropped.

"What?" he whispered.

I muttered, "Yeah... I'm Isabella Swan."

He made a strangled noise at the back of his throat and laid his head down on the table. A few minutes passed without him saying anything. In the background, Mr. Banner was droning on and on about the experiment we would be working on today, but all I could concentrate on was Edward and his reaction.

"You okay?" I whispered, glancing at Mr. Banner to make sure he hadn't heard.

No response.

Might as well listen to the lesson while Edward took this all in.

Five minutes later, Mr. Banner was done, and everyone had begun the experiment... except for us, that is. Edward was still absorbing this. Two minutes more, and he was done. He picked his head up, and the look in his eyes surprised me. They were both tormented and nonchalant. Was that even possible?

"So," he said finally. "It's you."

Not quite the answer I had been expecting.

"Why did you move away?" he asked, still looking anywhere but me.

"My dad got a promotion, and we had to move to Manhattan," I replied.

"We were friends, and you didn't even say goodbye to me," he muttered, fists clenched.

I was shocked. Did he actually care of my leave? Or was he just saying that, because I didn't remember being the closest of friends back then... in fact, our relationship had been more of a cat and mouse one.

"We were?" I questioned in an accusatory tone.

He looked confused. "Yes, or at least that's why my mom told me."

Wait, what?

He glanced at me and frowned. "You must be confused. Let me explain. After you left, I was involved in a car accident. All my family members got out safely, but I went through some brain trauma and lost some of my memories. The doctor told me I might get them back, but I never did. Apparently, my brain purposely blotted out bad memories of things I regretted doing."

So he never remembered being nasty to me? Calling me names? Revealing my deepest secret to everyone? Never caring about me?

He continued, "I don't remember being a jerk, but I must have been because after the accident, Tanya came up to me and started kissing me. I was confused as to why I would ever want to date her, so I dumped her. And people looked at me like I was their leader, and that, frankly, frightened me, so I forced myself to change, and I don't regret it. I don't understand what my old self found in being popular or whatever, but I'm not like that anymore."

"Why?" he asked. "Was I ever mean to you?"

I couldn't believe it. What was I supposed to say to that? I didn't want to bring bad memories back to him; he was obviously comfortable in his ignorance, and I didn't want to ruin that.

Maybe... maybe fate was giving me a new chance. Maybe it was saying Edward and I could have a proper relationship instead of a predator/prey. Maybe... Edward really has changed for the better.

I made up my mind. "No, we were close. I really did want to say bye, but it happened abruptly. Maybe we can be friends again."

He smiled. "Sure, although I don't see why you would to. I'm no longer that popular, and people try to stay away from me. They think I'm emo or goth, but they're mistaken. I'm just in my own world."

"I don't need you to be popular to be my friend. In fact, if you were, I'd probably not want to be with you as much." Because I know what it was like being your friend when you were, and I don't want to have to go through that anymore, I added silently.

And with that, we started our experiment.

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. This wasn't what I was expecting, but it was nice. All that was left was for me to get revenge on Mike and Tanya, along with the rest of their cronies.

* * *

For the next few weeks, I sat with Edward during lunch rather than Tanya, and I knew she was beginning to despise me. Edward was completely transformed, and I liked it.

"Bella, do you want to come over today?" Edward asked absently as he sketched in his journal.

I thought it over. Was I ready for that?

"Yes," I replied. I was.

* * *

"Mom, remember Bella?" Edward said, looking at Esme expectantly.

Esme's face paled. She obviously remembered how much Edward used to tease me.

She smiled sweetly and took me by the arm. "Edward, it's been a while since I've seen Bella. I'm going to have a little chat with her, alright?"

Edward's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Sure?"

Esme pulled me out of the room, and as soon as we were out of the room, she said, "Bella, look. When Edward lost his memory, I didn't want to remind him of all the things he'd done. I couldn't. He had changed into this placid, polite boy, and I couldn't ruin that. So I told him you had been the best of friends, and that you had had a good relationship. I didn't know how to explain your sudden departure, so I didn't, but now that you're back, I'm really hoping you can give him a chance."

"Okay," I replied simply.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed, sighing with relief.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," I said, shrugging.

* * *

Tanya stared down at me, a mad glint in her eyes.

"I figured it out. You're Ugly Bella, right?" she asked, smirking.

I winced as memories of students chanting Ugly Bella flew through my mind.

"So you are. I couldn't recognize you, you changed so much. What did you have to do? Surgery?" she questioned in a nasally voice.

Anger flared through me, masking the sadness I had initially felt. "No, some people are pretty naturally, unlike certain others." I looked at her pointedly.

"You think I went through surgery?" she asked in disbelief.

"Didn't you? The other day, I was chatting with your mom, and she told me that for your birthday, you asked for a nose surgery. I was wondering why it looked so much better. Look, Tanya, I've changed. It'd be best for you not to test me," I warned.

She smirked. "You think you scare me? I had Edward first, so don't think you can swoop in and steal him away."

"He hasn't been yours in years," I pointed out.

"Do you want me to remind him of all those years he spent tormenting you?" she asked.

"What?" Edward blurted out, looking confused.

I looked at him and hurriedly said, "It's nothing, Tanya means nothing by it. Right?"

I gave her a pleading look. She gave me a calculating, crude look.

"Right."

And then, she walked away. She had actually listened to me!

I turned to Edward, who had continued his sketching. I would have to go and talk to Tanya and ask why she had submitted to my request. She wasn't usually like this.

**At first, this was two different chapters, but because of the shortness of each, I combined them into one. I know, I know, you're welcome ;)**

**I was really scared to put this chapter up, because I know many of you will not like this. I don't know if this is medically accurate, but I remember something of this sort happening in a couple of movies I watched, and it just hit me. I'm sorry if you don't like how this story is going, but I wanted to try as many things as I possibly could to make it unique.**

******Bye!**


	5. Blackmail

******Would you guys like shorter chapters and fast updates or longer chapters and slower updates? I know my chapters are short right now, so I'm leaving this up to you guys. If I were to update slower, the chapters could be up to 5000 words (sounds appealing, right?).**

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. ****Let's set a goal... maybe 60 reviews by the next chapter? 13 reviews... maybe a bit too much, but we can do it! I have faith in you all.**

******By the way, I loved all of your predictions, and sujari6 actually got it right so this chapter is dedicated to her! Also, many of you were like: Edward needs to find out. I think you'll be surprised with how the story goes. Not in that he doesn't find out, because I don't know about that YET, but in other ways... **

I ran up to Tanya just before she climbed into her car. She looked at me coolly, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

"What?" she asked.

"Why didn't you tell Edward?"

"Did you want me to?" she questioned, a small smirk on her lips.

"No," I replied hurriedly. "Of course not. But... you're not usually like this."

"You're right," she said, smiling. "I'm not. I held back my information for a reason. I need you to do something for me."

Of course. So I had been right. She hadn't spared Edward of the information because she felt sorry. No, it was because she was saving it to blackmail me and get something out of me. I didn't know why I felt disappointed. Was I actually expecting better from someone like her?

"What do you want?" I muttered.

"I want you to stay away from Edward and date Mike so Edward knows you're unavailable," she ordered, smiling evilly, her pearly whites looking more like shark teeth at the moment.

"You want me to avoid Edward?" I clarified, feeling my heart beat erratically.

"Yes," she said. "I need to get him back. I miss him _dearly_, and you're standing in the way. Mike likes you; he told me, so it won't be much of a hassle for you."

"So what you're saying is that you want for me to leave my friend and date someone I don't even like just so you can trick said friend into dating you?" I asked incredulously.

She tossed her purse into the backseat and got into the driver's seat. "Exactly."

And then she drove away. I let out a groan as I watched her car become smaller and smaller. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up. It was Edward.

"Hey," he greeted, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I mumbled. "I thought I saw movement in the forest, but I guess it was just a trick of the light."

He chuckled, shaking his head a little. "Paranoid Bella."

I rolled my eyes playfully, my heart breaking a little at the same time. Edward... how could I deny him?

* * *

When Mike approached me the next day, I knew it was Tanya's doing. I had hoped she would give me some more time to mentally prepare, but no, she expected for me to comply right away.

"Hey," he greeted, nodding his head in what he thought made him look cool. It didn't.

"Hi," I replied, trying to sound as cordial as possible.

"So, you're Isabella Swan, right?" he asked.

I've been at this school for close to a month, and he was confirming my name now? What in the world did my younger self ever see in him? She must have been pretty stupid.

"Right."

Awkward silence.

"Tanya told me you're into me," he drawled, looking uncomfortable.

I was going to murder her. But for now, I had to find a way out of this horrible mess. I gave him a sweet smile.

"Mike, you're nice and all, but-"

"Is there a problem here?" someone interrupted me.

Tanya, of course. She wanted to make sure her plan went along flawlessly.

"Well, Mike informed me that you told him I liked him," I said, glaring at her.

"Don't you, Bella?" she replied, her teeth clenched.

In a quieter voice, she whispered, "Don't forget about our little deal."

"Of course!" I exclaimed brightly. "But I didn't think you'd go ahead and tell Mike for me!"

She pouted. "Aw, don't be upset. Mike likes you, too!"

Mike flushed, and I couldn't blame him. Tanya had the innate ability to make everyone around her feel both inferior and embarrassed. It was a lethal, yet useful gift of hers.

"Tanya," he muttered. "Can you please leave?"

She laughed. "I see, you two want some alone time! Totally understood. Ta ta, Bella. See you later, Mike."

She pranced away, and I've never felt more like killing someone than I did now. I turned back to Mike with a forced smile and insisted, "Look, if you don't want to be with me, you can leave. I won't be offended."

"No, Tanya's right. I find you pretty cool. Do you want to hang with me this Friday? A bunch of the guys and I are going to the movies, and they won't mind if you tag along. In fact, some of them are bringing their own girlfriends as well," he asked, staring at me with those big blue eyes of his.

What to do, what to do. Say yes to a date I didn't want to go to, or risk Tanya telling Edward of his old attitude and my old self?

"Sure, that sounds like it'll be fun," I decided.

"Great, text me your address, and I'll pick you up at 5 on Friday," he said.

He ripped a piece of journal paper from his English notebook and scribbled his phone number on it. He handed it to me before strolling away, not looking back once.

I stuffed the paper into my hoodie pocket and walked to Biology, feeling dejected.

* * *

"You haven't talked to me once throughout the whole lab," Edward observed. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I replied simply.

"It doesn't seem like it. Did I do something wrong?" he pressed, green eyes clouded with worry.

"No, of course not," I protested weakly. "I'm just not feeling up to talking today." What a subtle hint.

Hurt flashed through his eyes briefly. "Oh, alright."

Under any other circumstance, I would've immediately comforted him, but Tanya was a witch, and her powers had the ability to manipulate my every move.

* * *

For the next few days, I eluded a persistent Edward, and although it was hard, I refrained from eating at the cafeteria, where I knew Edward would be able to confront me. Instead, the girl's bathroom became my regular eating station

Finally, it was Friday, the day of the date. All I wanted to do was get it over with. Mike wasn't repulsive in any way. It was more that I felt nothing for him. Our relationship was a platonic one- maybe not even that-, and I didn't think it needed change.

I threw on a knit sweater dress and pulled my hair back into a side ponytail. I didn't want to look like I cared too much about the date, because I honestly didn't.

10 minutes after 5, Mike pulled up. Late, as expected. He didn't actually get out and ring my doorbell. He honked the horn twice. He should really look up chivalry on the net, and then get back to me.

"Hey," he said as I got into his car.

"Hi."

"Plans changed. We're not going to the movies. My friends want to come over to my house and watch some football," he informed.

I felt like murdering him. Did he really consider that a date? It was more of a personal hangout for him and his friends. But I couldn't say anything, because if word got out that Mike and I couldn't survive one date together, Tanya would hear and ultimately ruin my life, along with Edward's.

"Sounds fun," I said brightly, giving him a smile.

He nodded. We didn't say another word to one another for the rest of the ten minute car ride.

This was going to be a complicated relationship.

* * *

"Guys, this is Bella, the new girl," Mike announced.

The guys and their girlfriends looked up at me, their eyes wide.

Mike continued, "Bella, these are my friends, Tyler Crowley, Emmett McCarty, and Jasper Whitlock. The girl next to Jasper is Alice Brandon. The girl next to Emmett is Rosalie Hale, and the girl next to Tyler is Jessica Stanley."

I nodded. "Nice to meet you all."

They all said their own little greetings, and five minutes later, the guys were watching the television intently as the girls and I talked a while.

"You deserve better than Mike," Alice said, wrinkling her nose in the general direction of Mike.

I shrugged. "A matter of opinion. Don't you get annoyed when Jasper does this to you? This doesn't really qualify as a date in my mind."

Rosalie whined, "I agree with you. The next time Emmett does this, I'm going to break up with him!"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Stop being such girls. They have their moments. The other day, Tyler took me to the fanciest restaurant."

"Well, this is my first date with Mike, and it's going splendidly," I muttered.

They laughed in unison.

"We can tell," Alice retorted.


	6. Kiss

**Some of you were really upset with how things turned out, but the truth is that it's my story, and I will make things turn out the way I want them to. I would love to be able to please all of you, but that's not possible, and I don't plan on working hours on making it happen.**

**I'm sorry for that little rant, I just had to say it.**

**On a brighter note, I'm so happy with the response this story has been receiving. You guys are such consistent reviewers, and you make me smile :) Thank you so much :)**

For the past month, Mike and I have been a couple, and Edward and I have no longer been talking. I wanted so badly to get revenge on Mike, but with Tanya's evil threats, I couldn't.

I didn't know if I could take staying away from Edward for much longer. I wasn't romantically interested in him, don't get the wrong idea. It was just that he kept on giving me these sad, confused looks that made me want to break down my firm resolve and ignore all of Tanya's blackmailing. But I never did, because I didn't want for the past to haunt Edward. He had changed, and my petty feelings weren't going to reverse all of his personality morphing.

Mike was annoying, to say the least. The only date I really considered a date was the time he took me to a pizza parlor alone. Every other time, he took me out somewhere with his friends, in which we would do things he enjoyed. Why couldn't Tanya have paired me off with a better man?

"Bella, are you sure you and Mike are... compatible?" Angela, a newfound friend, asked, her eyebrows furrowed with concern, breaking me out of my reverie.

I considered this. "Well, they do say that opposites attract."

"It's not that... it's more like he doesn't treat you right," she said, struggling for a way to accurately word what she was thinking.

"He doesn't treat me badly... He just doesn't know what a proper date qualifies as," I defended weakly, secretly agreeing with every accusation she was throwing at Mike.

"And he ignores you, doesn't show public affection toward you, and loves his friends far too much to ever give you the attention you deserve," she pointed out, smiling a little.

I rolled my eyes. "Just because your boyfriend is perfect doesn't mean mine has to be too. People have flaws, Angela, contrary to what you seem to believe. Mike just has a little more than the average person. It's fine, I can deal."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "If you can give me three things you like about him, then I'll stop pestering you about your relationship."

I bit my lip as I contemplated. Three things? That shouldn't be too difficult. I could find three things I liked about Tanya, so Mike should be fairly easy.

"Well, he has a boyish innocence to him," I said.

"That's one," she nodded, accepting it.

"Um... he has nice blue eyes?" I offered, smiling brightly.

She smirked. "No superficial things, Bella. All interior."

"Fine... he... has..." Ugh, there had to be something else that was good about him besides his innocence, which wasn't even solidly there!

I wracked through my mind for another positive attribute he possessed. "Um."

"60 seconds," Angela said casually, taking a bite of her salad.

"He... has nice friends?"

"You're supposed to say good things about him, not his friends. 45."

"He's humorous," I said randomly, not really caring that he had as much humor as a stick.

She shook her head. "We all know that's not true."

"He's laid back," I blurted desperately.

She paused. "Fine."

Yes! Just one more to go.

"15."

Um, he was sensitive in an adorable way? No!

"5"

He was chivalrous? Nope.

"4."

He was thoughtful? I wish.

"Time!" she yelled triumphantly.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. Seriously, I was dating a guy whom I couldn't compliment 3 times over? I was a lost cause.

"See, I told you," she bragged smugly. "You guys are about as compatible as a cat and a dog are."

"So original," I commented sarcastically.

"You're just upset that you lost. Now, I have nagging rights!" she cheered.

I groaned again. "You're annoying."

"You love that about me," she replied.

* * *

As I was exiting the cafeteria, Edward stepped in front of me, blocking my path to freedom... or Biology.

"Let's talk," he demanded.

Before I could protest, he grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the empty hallway. He stared at me seriously, a small frown tugging at his lips.

"Are we okay?" he asked.

I blinked at him as innocently as I possibly could. "What makes you think otherwise?"

He smiled wryly. "Don't try to lie your way out of this, Bella. I know something's going on right now."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, shrugging.

"Come on, we both know you'd never willingly go out with Mike Newton. You hate people like him!" he exclaimed, running his fingers through his perfectly messy hair in frustration.

I smirked. "Jealous?"

He flushed. "No!"

"Chill, I was joking. Mike's cool, don't underestimate him. Besides, you only knew me for a month and a half. What makes you think you know me that well?" I asked.

"I knew you for 14 years and a month and a half," he reminded.

"Right, but you forgot about those first 14 years," I shot back.

He ignored me and continued, "Fine, let's not bring your love life into this. Simple question: why are you avoiding me?"

I shifted from one foot to the other; nervous habit. How could I possibly answer this question? Say that Tanya was blackmailing me? Say that I was trying to protect him from his past? Yeah, like either would go down well with him.

"I'm not avoiding you," I muttered.

"Yes, you are," he insisted.

"Well, maybe it's because I don't like you," I blurted.

What?! Why in the world did I say that?

His beautiful green eyes widened, his perfect mouth opening a bit. "What?"

He seemed to be buying it. If this was the only way I could get him off my back about this and protect him, then I'd do it.

"Yes, when we were younger, we were... great, but now, it seems like our relationship is really forced, and I can't be with someone who never understands me. Mike does." Pulling out the big guns now.

His eyes hardened. "Mike? He understands you? What a joke. I see the way you two are around each other, and it's ridiculous how you think that he and you are good for each other. You deserve better than him, Bella."

I held back oncoming tears and stared at him coolly. "And you think you're better than him?"

He blinked in surprise. "Am I?"

"No."

And with that, I swiveled around and walked away. If I didn't, he'd see my eyes sparkling from fresh tears.

From that day on, he didn't bother me.

**_1 month later_**

Ever since I told Edward that he and I were no longer friends, he's changed in a negative way. I never imagined that what I said could affect him so much, but I guess it could. He no longer isolated himself from others, he was more social. He wasn't a jerky jock like he had been all those years ago, but he didn't partake in the creative arts or wander off to his own world like he used to. It was as if my words were a wakeup call for him.

I watched as Edward strolled through the hallways with Emmett and Jasper and couldn't help feeling this sinking feeling inside my chest, like I had done something wrong by shunning him from my life. He didn't even spare me a glance as he walked past me. He looked straight ahead, almost as if he had to concentrate in order to not look at me. This should have made me feel special, but it didn't. It made me feel terrible.

I hurried to my writing class, careful not to touch him as I sped past him. It would've been too painful.

* * *

At lunch, I saw something that made ribbons of pain cut through my heart. Edward was kissing Tanya, his hands running through her golden hair. The whole student body was staring, yet they seemed oblivious to it all. Some students began whistling in appreciation, but they still stayed glued together.

"Are they a couple?" I asked Angela, my voice sounding as pained as I felt.

She shrugged. "I guess they are now."

This feeling wormed its way into my heart, causing my face to twist into this stony mask. I couldn't put my finger on what it was. It felt terrible, it made me sad, but it also made me want to murder someone.

Then I realized.

It was jealousy.

And that meant only one thing.

I liked Edward Cullen. Not platonically, but romantically.

But he didn't like me. He liked Tanya, and I was part of the reason why.

* * *

_**Edward's point of view**_

Tanya's lips tasted like artificial oranges.

I was all too much aware of the catcalls and whispers erupting from around us, but Tanya wasn't. I pretended to be completely immersed in our exchange, but the truth was that I couldn't really. I wasn't physically or mentally attracted to her, so it was difficult to act like I was passionate about our kissing.

I cracked open my left eye a little and surveyed the cafeteria. Mike was gaping, Emmett was rolling his eyes, Jasper was talking to Alice, and Bella... she was leaving the cafeteria like she had fire on the heels of her feet.

Why?

* * *

**_Bella's point of view_**

Biology was horrible. The atmosphere was so tense around me and Edward, it was almost tangible. We did the experiment in silence.

Afterward, I rushed out, relieved it was over. Just as I was leaving the room, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around. It was Edward.

"Hey," he said quietly.

I felt a rush of feelings bombard me. "Hi."

A student shoved past us and muttered, "Get out of the way, idiots."

Edward and I laughed and moved out of the way. Then, silence.

He broke it first. "So, how is it going with you and Mike?"

"Okay. What about you and Tanya?" I asked, trying to hide my jealous.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Aren't you guys together now?" I asked.

He began laughing hysterically. "No!"

I blinked. "But... but you guys kissed in the cafeteria!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we're together. It was an impulse kiss. We got caught up in the moment," he explained, still laughing and shaking his head. "I don't like Tanya in that way."

So, I still had a chance? My mind flashed back to Tanya and her blackmailing.

And then, something clicked. Everything made sense. The truth was, I didn't care about Tanya. She could tell Edward, but if he and I were friends by then, I'd be able to comfort him and talk him out of any stupid things he was thinking about doing. She could be the bad guy, but Edward wasn't the type of guy to dwell on the past and never move on. He would take the information and become stronger and better through it. That's the type of person he was and is. Back then, that was his only redeeming quality.

I felt confidence building within me. I _would _reconcile with him. I _would not _let Tanya control me.

"Look, Edward, I need to tell you something," I said, looking at him straight in the eye.

He nodded. "Okay."

"You know how I said I didn't like you?" I told him.

A pained expression crossed his face. "Yes, I clearly remember that."

"Well, I didn't mean it," I confessed, feeling a thousand times lighter than I had before.

A few moments passed before a smile lit up his face. "Really?"

"Really," I confirmed, smiling back at him.

Suddenly, he stepped forward and embraced me tightly, practically squeezing the life out of me.

Despite my shock, I managed to get out, "You're... cutting... off... my... air flow... Edward."

He stepped back as quickly as he had stepped forward. A light pink was coloring both his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he apologized, looking embarrassed.

"No!" I protested. "That felt... really nice."

Silence. He was blushing, and now I was blushing, too.

"Yeah."

Awkward silence.

He was, yet again, the one to break it. "Wait, what do you mean I didn't mean it?"

Time for the moment of truth.

"I was blackmailed into telling you that," I admitted slowly.

His eyes narrowed. "Are you joking around with me? Because it's not exactly funny."

"No," I insisted. "Of course not. I was seriously blackmailed. By Tanya."

He nodded. "I can believe that part. What did she blackmail you with?"

Before I could answer, Mr. Banner walked out of the classroom and caught sight of us. His eyes grew suspicious.

"Shouldn't you two be in class right now?" he accused.

I looked at the clock. Shoot! He was right, we were 10 minutes late! I fiddled with a pencil nervously, looking at Edward. He remained calm and collected.

"Bella wasn't feeling well, so I stayed behind to make sure she was okay. I was just asking her what was wrong. I think she's feeling nausea. She accidentally pricked her finger with the pin we were using, and the blood made her feel faint," he lied smoothly, putting on a concerned facade.

I was already feeling a bit nauseous from the conversation, and I was already naturally pale, so Mr. Banner bought it easily.

"Why don't you take her to the nurse?" he suggested.

Edward nodded. "I was just about to do that, sir."

Mr. Banner nodded and walked back into his classroom after writing me up a note. Edward began leading me to the nurse's office.

"What do we do when she realizes that I'm perfectly fine, and there's no mark where the pin 'pricked me'?" I asked, panicking.

"Don't worry," Edward said, rolling his eyes. "I'll say I cleaned it off, and you look pale and nervous enough that she'll make you lie down on the cot for at least ten minutes. I'll stay with you for the ten minutes, insisting that I'm too nervous to head back to class, and we can talk then. You had something to tell me, no?"

I had to admit, that was the perfect plan. Out of all the things he had retained from his former self, this was one of the best, and most rebellious.

"Alright, that sounds good."

The nurse fussed over me for a few minutes, and after I managed to convince her I was only feeling a little faint, she left me on the cot, told Edward he could stay, and went off to attend to a kid with a lump the size of a golf ball on his head.

"So," Edward began as I laid down on the cot. "Explain."

I mentally prepared myself. "Okay, so you're going to be surprised when I tell you this, so lean back and relax."

He complied, and I continued, "When we were younger, we were best friends."

"I know that," he agreed.

"But you weren't the nicest friend. You constantly teased me about my braces and acne, you told the whole school my deepest secret, and you were always complaining about having to hang out with me. Oh, and you were in love with Tanya," I said.

His mouth was open and his eyes were wide. "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope, all those things I said are completely true."

"If I was really that mean, why were we best friends?" he asked.

"Well, our moms were super close, and because of this, they made us be the best of friends. They never really noticed how badly you treated me. Well, your mom noticed, but she never really cared and said anything to my mom."

His eyes were swirling with regret and anger by now. "Why didn't you tell me all this before? Why did you let yourself drift away from me just because you didn't want me to find out? I could handle the truth, Bella!"

"I know that now, but at the time, I didn't want the past to haunt you," I explained.

"I'd rather know the truth than be blinded by lies and false sweetness," he replied. "I almost lost you!"

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say, to be quite frank.

"From now on, I want the truth, and the truth only," he ordered, his eyes softening as they took in my face. I must've looked pretty dejected.

"Okay," I whispered, avoiding his gaze.

I felt his hands lift my chin to make me return his stare. And then, to my complete and utter surprise, he leaned in and kissed me softly before pulling back and taking in my reaction.

Edward Cullen kissed me.

WHAT?!

**Over 3000 words! Slowly, the chapters are becoming longer. Well, this was originally two, but I combined them to make this one big.**

**Reviews would be nice, especially since this chapter was particularly long :)**


	7. Date

**Not an edited chapter; just pressed spell check on doc manager. Wanted to get this chapter out as quickly as possible for you guys.**

I touched my lips and slowly smiled. I liked Edward, and he liked me back, as this kiss had shown.

"Wow," I murmured, looking up at him.

He looked just as shocked as I felt. "I'm sorry, Bella. I know you're not ready for that sort of interaction. I- I just got caught up in the moment... and I didn't think of your feelings." He looked positively miserable by now.

I decided to shut him up by giving him another kiss. When I pulled back, his eyes were wide and his jaw was slightly open. It made for a comical look.

"Edward, do you regret kissing me?" I accused.

"No," he replied quickly. "But... do you even like me in that way? We just got back to being friends from a long separation, and I don't want to rush things with you."

His concern was endearing. "I'm not fragile. And I want this if you want it."

"So, we're a couple now?" he confirmed, looking unsure.

His looking unsure made me feel unsure. "That's what you want, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And that's what I want, too, so I guess we are," I said, nodding.

He grinned. And then it faltered.

"Bella, what about Mike?" he asked.

"Well, I have to break up with him. I didn't feel good about dating him just because someone was forcing me to, anyway. He won't be too upset, he didn't like me that much," I reassured Edward, who was looking extremely guilty by now.

He looked slightly less guilty. "Why do I feel like I tore you two apart?"

"You didn't," I insisted. "We were never really together in the first place, and I think even Mike knew this."

He nodded slowly. "Alright."

The nurse came bustling back in, her lips pursed. "What are you two still doing here? It's been 20 minutes, not 10!"

I flushed as Edward looked at her amusedly. "We're sorry, Bella just began to feel better now, so we'll be on our way."

She frowned. "You missed one class each. I need to write up a note for the both of you, which you will need to give to your teachers as soon as the day ends, clear?"

We both nodded obediently, and she ushered us out of the room, clearly irritated.

As soon as we were out, Edward and I burst out in laughter.

* * *

The next day, Edward was back to normal. He no longer wore preppy clothes, and he carried his journal everywhere. I was never so happy as I was now to see black. Emmett and Jasper looked dejected, but I could understand why. Meanwhile, Mike kept on shooting me suspicious glances as his eyes flickered between me and Edward sporadically. I felt bad, to say the least.

During lunch, Mike approached the two of us. This was it; the moment of truth.

"Bella, why aren't you sitting with Angela?" he asked.

Shoot, love made you forget things, didn't it? I glanced at Angela's table. Frankly, she didn't look that upset, snuggling with Ben and laughing with him. I was happy for her and relieved. I nodded my head toward her table.

"She looks fine," I said with a shrug.

Mike's eyes narrowed. "Why are you sitting with him?"

Edward stiffened from beside me.

"I'm going to go and talk to him," I whispered to Edward.

He nodded, and I stood up. "Let's go outside for a moment, shall we?"

Mike agreed. We walked outside. He was oblivious to the stares, but I felt them boring into every bared part of the body. I was glad to be out of the cafeteria.

I turned to Mike. "Look, I don't think our relationship is working. We just don't fit together."

His eyes grew cold. "I think we're a great couple."

"But we're not," I countered. "And you know it."

His gaze grew accusatory. "Is it because of Cullen? Are you guys dating now?"

I bit my lip and looked down. "Yes, but even if I wasn't dating him, I'd have broken up with you. Come on, Mike. Weren't you expecting this?"

His facial expression told a different story than what he said, "No. I thought that our relationship was solid and consistent. But apparently, I was the only one truly dedicated to it. You were busy locking lips with the social recluse."

No, he did just not say that. "Don't insult him," I snapped. "He's ten times the person you are. While you care too much about your reputation, he doesn't. He might have in the past, but he's changed. You haven't changed one bit. Remember when we were 14, and Edward announced that I liked you? You outright said I was ugly. Your superficiality really affected me, and I cried tons that day. You think I forgot? If you'd changed, then I would forgive and forget, but you haven't; not one bit. The only reason you're dating me now is because of my looks!"

He was gaping by now. I had to admit, my monologue was a bit... much, but he deserved a good awakening.

"So, we're through, and I am dating Edward. I hope you have a nice life," I finished.

It would've been a much cooler exit if he had actually let me go, but instead, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. By now, his eyes were flaring with unrestrained fury, and it was intimidating.

"Are you walking away from me?" he asked angrily in a low voice.

I tried to pull away from me, but he was a football player... we all know who's the stronger one here. Then, he forcefully pressed his cracked lips upon mine.

I wriggled around, trying to slide out of his grasp, but he wouldn't let me.

"Get off of her now," a velvety voice demanded from behind me. Mike slowly released me and stepped back, surveying the speaker coolly.

I swiveled around and saw Edward standing there, a fire in his eyes that I've never seen before. "Edward!"

For some reason, he avoided my stare and continued glaring at Mike, his lips set in a thin line. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Bella wanted to kiss me," replied Mike haughtily.

I couldn't believe this jerk! I threw Edward a pleading glance.

"I did not! He's lying," I said.

Mike smirked. "She's a bit embarrassed, but she was really into it."

I wanted to smack him in the face. "No, who would get into a kiss with you? I just broke up with you, for God's sake!"

Edward looked annoyed. "Mike, stop lying. Your efforts are fruitless. I trust Bella far more than I trust you."

Mike frowned and then growled, "You're the one who stole Bella from me, aren't you?"

"Bella was never yours," Edward replied.

"Yes, she was. And you're the one who took her from me," Mike said.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Are you truly that upset about your split? You guys were the worst couple I'd ever seen."

"And you think you two are a good couple?" Mike questioned, looking antsy.

"Yes," I cut in. "We are. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to leave. We have to actually finish our lunch. In the future, do not bother us while we're eating, or never, for that matter. Bye, Mike."

Mike watched as Edward and I strolled back into the cafeteria. As soon as we were seated at our table, a shadow loomed over us. It was Tanya's. I groaned. Why couldn't we have a moment of peace?

"Yes?" I asked.

Her lips pursed as her eyes calculated every movement Edward made. "Bella, I thought you were with Mike."

"She dumped him," Edward volunteered bluntly.

Tanya sneered, "Did you already forget about what we agreed on, Bella?"

I replied defiantly, "I don't care about it anymore. I already told Edward, and now we're together, so it's all good."

She was speechless. Not knowing what to say, she huffed and stomped away, but not before screaming, "Jerk!" at Edward.

Edward looked at me and sighed. "So many people are against our love, dearest."

"I know, honey. What a love life we share," I replied, going along with the joke.

"I suggest we cut off their necks."

"But that would be violent!"

"So?"

"Fine, let's."

* * *

Obviously, we didn't actually kill them, though the option was a viable one. A few days after that one, Edward asked me out on our first date. Of course I accepted, and now that I only had an hour to get ready, I was starting to regret my decision. Dates were so stressful!

I decided to call Angela.

"Hi, Bella," she greeted cheerfully after picking up.

"Angela, I'm in deep trouble," I told her frantically.

"What?" she exclaimed. "Are you hurt? Stuck somewhere? Emotionally wrecked?"

"No," I scoffed. "I don't know what to wear for my date with Edward!"

She sighed heavily. "Really, Bella?"

"Yes," I insisted, suddenly feeling stupid.

"Okay, fine. I'll be at your house in 5 minutes," she said and hung up.

Approximately 5 minutes later, Angela was on my doorstep, holding a makeup box in her hands. I backed away slowly.

"Angela, I asked for help with clothes; not makeup. I don't do makeup, you should know this," I said, feeling scared.

She grinned. "You asked for me, so you're getting the whole deal."

I licked my lips and wondered if there was any way I could reverse time and not call her for help. She shoved past me and jogged upstairs, hauling that heavy-looking container with her. I sighed in resignation and followed after her. As soon as we were in my room, she pushed me into my desk chair and pinned my hair up.

Thus, the torture started.

32 minutes later, I was staring into a mirror, feeling slightly awed. Angela actually managed to make me look presentable. She had tied my long brown hair into a ponytail, and elongated my eyelashes with mascara. She hadn't really put a lot of makeup, thank God, but she had spent forever on my outfit. It ended up being pretty nice, not too fancy, and representative of my personality. I was wearing silver Converse, black skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, and silver jewelry.

"Thank you so much," I said gratefully, smiling at a beaming Angela.

She shrugged humbly and began to clean up. The doorbell rang, and I rushed downstairs to get it. Renee was cooking in the kitchen, and she waved goodbye as I sped to the front door. She knew of my relationship with Edward, and she was in love with the idea. Esme and her were both ecstatic, actually. They were quite literally planning the wedding.

Edward looked wonderful, standing there with his freshly wet bronze hair and dark attire.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi."

"Shall we?" he offered an arm.

I took it.

* * *

We had eaten at a restaurant, and now, we were lying under the night sky, a blanket of stars and one large, luminescent moon. Crickets chirped as the breeze caressed our bodies. We were holding hands and not speaking, but it was a comfortable silence.

"What's your favorite color?" Edward asked abruptly.

"Why the sudden interest?" I questioned.

He shrugged. "We didn't really get to know each other after the separation."

I nodded and contemplated. My favorite color had been blue, but now, I was more inclined toward gold.

"Gold," I replied. "You?"

"Blue," he answered immediately. "Favorite animal?"

"Doe. You?"

"Mountain lion. Favorite name?"

"What?"

"What's not a name," he quipped.

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn't see it. "You know what I mean... why that question?"

"I'm very interested names. I believe someone's favorite name tells a lot about that person," he replied.

"That puts a lot of pressure on my answer," I said nervously.

"Bella..."

"Okay, okay. My favorite name... Anne for a girl and Louis for a boy. What about you?"

He processed my answer before saying, "Jade for a girl and Caleb for a boy."

The rest of the date continued in this fashion, in which he would ask the question, and we would both answer.

**I know the 20 questions bit has been done before, but I changed my answers up. A lot of authors have Bella's favorite color as green and Edward's as brown, but that seemed a bit obvious to me, so I didn't do that. I didn't go too into detail with the date because I didn't want you guys to be bored out of your minds with mindless, idle chatter amongst the two lovebirds.**

**Let's bring the review count to 70.**


	8. Christmas

Going back to shorter chapters. Thank you for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. I know this chapter is not a daily update like all the others have been, but I experienced minor writer's block and only got over it late yesterday night. Warning: this chapter is pure fluff.

This chapter is dedicated to MJ3 twilight D for writing a sweet review that made me feel understood. Thank you.

Enjoy this festive chapter ;)

* * *

**_Christmas_**

Christmas. Mistletoe, hot chocolate, the lingering scent of pine, and familial/romantic love.

"What do you want?" Edward murmured.

"Nothing," I replied, rolling my eyes. "I told you this before: I do not want a present from you. All I want is you." I gave him a cheesy smile towards the end.

He sighed. "Please?"

"Edward, surprise me, alright?" I gave in.

He grinned. "Okay."

* * *

Christmas morning was busy. First, Renee and I exchanged presents. I got her a gift card to the nearest salon, and she got me a gift card to the nearest bookstore. We were pretty simple people. Afterward, we went over to the Cullen household.

It was much more festive than our house. Their tree was full out decked with various glittering ornaments, and there were tons of shiny, perfectly wrapped still under the tree. Standing next to Esme at the tree was a pretty little girl with golden ringlets and emerald eyes like Edward's.

"Hi, I'm Bella. Who're you?"

She immediately lit up. "Elise. Edward's my cousin."

He had a younger cousin? Wow, we seriously needed to get to know each other better.

"It's very nice to meet you. How old are you?"

"7," she responded, looking happy that another person was speaking with her. I couldn't imagine how bored she had been, surrounded by adults five times her age.

And that's when I realized I had no idea where Edward was. "Do you know where Edward is?"

"Why? Are you his girlfriend?" she gasped.

I blushed a little. "Yes."

She squealed. "Edward has such a pretty girlfriend!"

I laughed. "Thanks, but I'm _not_ pretty."

She gave me a skeptical look. "Yes, you _are_. Edward's upstairs, in his room."

I gave her a hug before bounding upstairs. I had to search a little before I found his bedroom, but I eventually found it. He was adjusting his hair as he looked into a mirror. I decided to have a little bit of fun.

Quietly, I snuck into the room, crawling. When I was directly behind him, I jumped up and screeched, "Boo!"

He let out a yelp so girly it made me want to burst out into laughter. "Bella!"

I put my hands up in surrender and said, through my giggles, "Sorry, I just had to do it!"

He placed one last strand in its place and replied, "I'll let that one go since it's Christmas."

"Oh, thank you. I am so utterly grateful for your compassion and forgiving nature," I said wryly.

He rolled his eyes and hugged me. "Merry Christmas, Bella."

"Merry Christmas. I didn't know you had a cousin."

We broke apart. "Way to ruin a romantic moment," he muttered. Then he said, "Yeah, Elise. I just learned yesterday she would be visiting."

"She's cute."

"She looks like my Aunt Carina."

"But she has your eyes," I pointed out.

He shrugged and corrected, "She and I have my mother's eyes."

"Whatever."

He chuckled and said, "Let's exchange presents."

I gave him his first. I had gotten him an album of a band I personally enjoyed listening to. Since we had similar styles, I thought he'd enjoy them as well. He'd gotten me something far more sentimental than what I had gotten him. It made me feel slightly guilty, but he quickly shushed my expressed worries. It was a plaque with the words, "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."

"It's beautiful," I marveled, running my hands over the silver metal.

"You can hang it up in your room. That is, if you want to," he said quickly, looking at the ground in an endearing manner.

"Of course I will," I said, smiling. "Thank you. This beats my present by far."

"No, I loved your present," he insisted.

"You didn't even listen to the songs yet," I pointed out, exasperated.

He shrugged and grinned. "I like it because you're the one who gave it to me?"

I rolled my eyes, but inside, I was swooning.

* * *

Christmas dinner was interesting. To say the least, Edward's family was loud. It was just him, Esme, Carlisle, Elise, and his Aunt Carina, who had eventually arrived, but they were all talkative, so it made for a chaotic atmosphere. Renee was just as loud as any of them, but Edward and I were quiet, so we just watched as the rest laughed and chatted boisterously.

After, Edward and I excused ourselves and went upstairs to his room. The moonlight shone through the filmy curtains as we laid on his bed in silence. We were that type of couple. The type that didn't need words or physical interaction in order to be romantic. We let the invisible bonds and unsaid words let each other know just how much we cared for one another.

As the night slipped into the day, Edward and I just held hands, exchanging the occasional kiss. We conversed, but it was scattered and light.

We understood each other so well.

* * *

The quote, "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever," was said by Alfred Tennyson. Isn't it beautiful?

Review, please :)


	9. Valentine's Day

I'm starting to run out of ideas, so updates will be more... scattered. Thank you for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. They honestly mean the world to me. You'll be seeing some of Gia in this chapter. Some foreshadowing: she'll be more important in the future.

This will be the last purely fluff chapter. The future ones will undoubtedly have fluff, but not in full. They'll be partially or mostly, depends, comprised of drama and hurt/comfort. Endless fluff gets boring and is not really "plot".

* * *

For the first time in months, Gia and I talked. Gia, as in Gia Montrose, my previous best friend from New York. It was sad that it had taken this long for us to pick up our phones and converse, but I was glad that it had eventually happened.

"God, we are _terrible_ best friends," Gia mused, regret laced through her voice.

I agreed, "I know. Let's promise each other we won't do this again."

"Definitely. Anyway, what's up? Anything new?"

"Well... I have a boyfriend," I said slowly, fearing her reaction.

"What!" she exclaimed. "You should've called me as soon as you nabbed him!"

"Sorry, Gia. I forgot. But I'll fill you in as much as possible now," I told her, wincing.

"You better," she threatened. "So... is he cute?"

"Don't be so superficial," I scolded. "But, yes, he's so handsome! He has eyes like emeralds and this unusually gorgeous hair that's always mussed."

She squealed. "What's his name?"

"Edward Cullen."

A pause.

"So, your previous bully?" she confirmed, not sounding quite as excited.

Yes, I had told her of my past experiences with Edward. "He's changed, Gia."

"Like heck he did. I won't believe that for a second. He's probably luring you in with his good looks and charming personality. And then, at the last minute, he'll stab you in the heart," she warned ominously.

"He lost his memory in a car accident," I said bluntly.

Another pause.

"Oh... well, in that case, I wholeheartedly support this relationship. I wish you the best of luck in the future, and please, invite me to your wedding," she quipped.

I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see it. "Gia, firstly, we're in senior year. Secondly, we just started dating. This is a tentative relationship. You should know. You've been through at least 100 of them."

She scoffed, "No, I haven't. 89 at most. Unless you count Kyle, who I'm dating right now. Then, 90."

"Wait a second, you're dating Kyle Holloway?" I demanded.

"Yes, why?"

"You know he's trash! I dated him, and he cheated on me with Halley Parker!" I reminded.

"Shoot, you're right! I totally forgot about that... I'll dump him tomorrow," she resolved.

I sighed. "Gia, I really wish you'd settle down and find someone solid."

"Don't worry about me, Bella. Eventually, I will. You know, we should really meet up sometime in the future," she said, changing the subject.

I let it go and replied, "Yes, we should. Maybe one of us will visit the other."

"Agreed. Okay, I got to go, Bella. Talk to you soon?"

"Of course," I said firmly. "Bye, Gia."

* * *

In the days approaching Valentine's Day, Edward became really romantic in a cheesy, yet adorable day.

On February 10, which is when the general cheesiness began, he threw pebbles against my window at night. When I leaned out my window, he recited a Shakespeare sonnet:

_"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? _  
_Thou art more lovely and more temperate. _  
_Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, _  
_And summer's lease hath all too short a date. _  
_Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, _  
_And often is his gold complexion dimmed, _  
_And every fair from fair sometime declines, _  
_By chance or nature's changing course untrimmed. _  
_But thy eternal summer shall not fade, _  
_Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest, _  
_Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade _  
_When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st. _  
_So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, _  
_So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."_

Don't ask me how long it took for him to remember all of **that**.

On February 11, he invited me over to his house and played a song on his piano that he had written for me. It was called Bella's Lullaby, and it was beautiful.

On February 12, he placed 12 roses in my locker.

On February 13, he wrote me a love note which he attached to a teddy bear.

Today was February 14, and I was bit wary. Edward wasn't usually like this- sappy- and I was concerned with how much Valentine's Day was affecting him. Throughout the school day, he didn't acknowledge that it was Valentine's Day, which really relieved me. I gave him my present to him straight after school- a heart-shaped box of chocolates and another album-. He told me to meet him at his house by 6 tonight, which sparked my wariness once more.

At 6, I threw on a coat and drove to his house. As soon as I got there, he was waiting, standing at the doorway of his house.

He embraced me and murmured, "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day," I whispered.

He nodded and ushered me to the back of his house, where a metallic black motorcycle sat. Two helmets rested at the head of the motorcycle, and a basket hung from one of its handlebars. I gave him a questioning look to which he only shrugged.

"Surprise," he said.

And then I realized, a little bit late, that I would have to ride that motorcycle with him... at night... Did Edward even know how to ride a motorcycle? I grew apprehensive as I glanced longingly back at my car, wishing that he'd let us drive there. He shook his head, his mouth twisting into an amused smile, and gestured towards the helmets.

"Pick one," he offered.

I gulped and approached the motorcycle. How to tell him that there was no way I'd ride this motorcycle with him? I could cut to the chase and spit it out, or I could keep his feelings in mind and gently scold him for ever thinking that I'd want to get on a motorcycle with him. I chose neither. He looked too hopeful, and I didn't want to ruin that youthful expression on his face. It would be as if I offered a puppy a dog treat and snatched it back at the last minute. But I don't remember having ever offered Edward my consent to riding this dangerous contraption.

He looked at me expectantly. "Bella, are you going to choose a helmet?"

I grabbed the blue one over the silver one and slowly put it on, hoping to God that his father or mother would come out and tell us to stop.

He climbed on and ordered, "You can get on behind me. Make sure you have a firm grasp of my shoulders. It might be a rocky ride."

That's when I broke. "Edward, honestly, I do not want to get on that motorcycle. Let's take my car, alright?"

After a few moments or two, he burst out into laughter. "You waited this long to tell me?"

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings," I muttered.

"Bella, you never have to hide your feelings from me in order to save mine. I really don't care whether you want to ride with me or not. It's just our transportation mode. If it makes you that uncomfortable, we can take my car," he said, still chuckling and shaking his head.

I let out a sigh in relief. "Oh, thank God. Let's take the car."

* * *

The drive was short, spanning about 15 minutes. The car ride was pretty quiet, as moments usually were for us. As soon as the car stopped, I hopped out and surveyed the surroundings. I immediately recognized it as the place we went to for our first date. We had come here after eating and looked at the stars for hours. Edward came up behind me and hugged me, holding the basket in his right hand. It kept on bumping me in the leg, but I didn't really notice.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured, pressing his lips against my hair.

"Yes," I squeaked.

He chuckled, and I could feel the vibrations running through my head. It was a comforting sensation. He pulled me to the center of the grassy meadow and set a checkered blanket down. On this blanket, he set down various foods and two candles. He lit them, and we sat down.

He had really gone all out. Chocolate covered strawberries, sugar rolls, croissants, and other desserts I didn't know the names of.

"Did you make all of this?"

"No," he scoffed. "I'm not that great at cooking, Bella."

"So, who did?"

"Esme and Elise. This is how they bond. Through the art of cooking," he said with a flourish.

And with that, we began eating.

* * *

After eating, we cleaned up and drove back to his house. He left me with a kiss, and I couldn't help thinking this was a perfect Valentine's Day, and the only one that held meaning for me.

* * *

So, time for some crediting. As mentioned above, that sonnet is a Shakespearean sonnet, and I think it's the 12th one. I do not own it, clearly. I also don't own Twilight- thought I might as well add that in here since it's been a while since I remembered to clip on a disclaimer.

**Important **If you have the time, check out my new story, **_Timeless_** _**Love**_. It's basically a Bella travels back in time to a human Edward story. It's part romance, part hurt/comfort, part tragedy, and part historical.

90 reviews by the next chapter? That's 7 reviews; not so far away. Oh, and did I tell you guys this? **I am sending out a sneak peek of the next chapter for anyone who reviews, telling me their favorite name. If you review and do not answer this question, you won't get a sneak peek. So remember, ONE favorite name, regardless of gender. Thank you :) **


	10. Surprise

**Hi, guys! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows.**

**I loved the names you gave me, and I did send out sneak peeks. As I was writing this chapter, I decided to use one of your names for a new character. Like mentioned, I loved all of your favorite names, but I felt like Anastasia fit this character the best. So thanks to MJ3 twilight D for suggesting this lovely name. Someone asked me what the purpose of asking you guys for your favorite names was, and I honestly did not know, but just now, I decided I might as well use one of your suggestions as a name for a character. Thanks to RetroReaction for inspiring me to do so.**

**This chapter is especially long: enjoy it :)**

"Bella, I've got news! I'm coming to Forks, Washington!" Gia screamed happily.

I couldn't believe it. After months of merely speaking on the phone- it was April now- we were going to physically see each other? I couldn't hold my excitement in. I squealed like a newborn pig.

"Oh my God, I can't believe this! When are you coming?" I questioned.

"This weekend. I'll be staying Friday and Saturday, departing early Sunday morning. Do you mind me staying at your house?" she asked.

"No, of course not! You know you're welcome here! Do you need me to pick you up at the airport?" I offered, hoping she would say yes.

"Sure," she accepted.

I beamed. This was going to be a great weekend.

* * *

"You have a best friend called Gia who's going to visit this weekend?" Edward repeated.

"Yes," I replied patiently. "I met her in New York."

"Oh, so she needs to meet me?" he asked gloomily.

Yes, Edward wasn't really the best with meeting new people. He hated awkward moments.

"Yes," I replied, rolling my eyes. "But don't worry, she'll only obsess over you for the first day and a half."

He groaned. "Just fantastic."

* * *

"Gia!" I exclaimed, running up to her and hugging her.

She stumbled back under my weight, but still managed to return the embrace. "Bella!"

We hopped around in a circle multiple times, still holding each other, as we squealed. When we pulled apart, I noticed a beautiful girl standing next to her, looking both embarrassed and aloof. She had long, straight hair the color of fire and icy blue eyes. She was petite, delicate-looking, and pale. All in all, she was intimidating in her beauty.

I gave Gia a questioning glance.

"Oh, I forgot to mention this to you, but I decided to bring along a friend. It was a last minute decision. When you left, I met her, and we grew close, so I wanted both of my besties to get to know each other better. Is that okay with you?"

I processed this. I couldn't help feeling a bit of jealousy, but I knew this was irrational. I had met new close friends such as Angela, and I had a solid boyfriend in Edward. Gia, of course, made friends as well. I just wished she hadn't done this so abruptly- and by this, I meant bring her new friend along with her without telling me. But I decided to let it go.

"It's fine. I'm Bella, as you could probably tell. My full name's Isabella Swan," I introduced myself.

The girl stared back at me coolly. "I'm Victoria Chandler. As mentioned before, I'm Gia's _new _friend."

Gia Montrose found a mean friend. But I couldn't tell her that. It'd come off as petty and immature. So I smiled and nodded, ever the gracious hostess.

"Well, it's really nice to meet you, Victoria. Are you comfortable sleeping on a sofa, because I wasn't aware that you'd be arriving, and we just don't have enough beds for you," I said sweetly.

She rolled her eyes and replied, "Does it look like I'd be okay sleeping on a couch? I brought my own air mattress."

So she was outwardly mean. Why in the world did Gia choose to be her friend? I looked at Gia meaningfully.

She mouthed, _She's not usually like this._

I mouthed back, _Oh, so it's just around me? Great._

She mouthed, _Sorry._

* * *

"A bit rundown," Victoria observed. "Was your apartment back in Manhattan this dingy?"

"Tory!" Gia whispered furiously. "Be nice."

"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to having to live in these sorts of accommodations," she said, wrinkling her nose.

I rolled my eyes and led them to my room. Gia set her bags down onto the air mattress I had laid down for her, and Victoria began setting up her own air mattress. Soon, she was done.

"Now show us your cute boyfriend!" Gia demanded, trying to look stern and failing.

Victoria's eyebrows quirked in curiosity, and she asked, "You have a boyfriend?"

"Yes, I do. Why, is that a surprise?" I questioned.

She smirked. "A bigger surprise than you can imagine. He's probably not even that cute... your standards of 'good-looking' must be lower than everybody else's."

Wasn't she a sweet one?

"Tell your friend to shut up," I snapped at Gia, who was frowning at an oblivious Victoria.

"Tory, you told me you'd behave," Gia said quietly, playing the part of a disappointed mother.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Loosen up, Gia. You and your friend are so uptight."

Gia and I exchanged looks. This reassured me; we were still closer than she was to Victoria.

"Anyway, call Edward," Gia insisted, looking at me pleadingly.

"No," I said firmly. "Let's hang out, just us girls, and tomorrow, I'll tell him to come over."

Victoria groaned, "You're so childish."

Gia shot her a glare and turned to me. "That sounds good. We need to fill each other in!"

* * *

"I'm going to kill this girl," Gia announced after I told her about Tanya, the blackmailing witch.

Meanwhile, Victoria murmured, "This girl sounds cool. Where can I see her?"

I ignored Victoria. "I know, Tanya was terrible. Thank God that's over, and Edward and I are together now."

I could've sworn I heard Victoria say, "Not for long."

But I was sure it was my imagination.

* * *

"Hey, Edward. You want to meet my friends today? You're a social butterfly, this should be an easy choice for you," I teased, watching as Gia and Victoria looked at me excitedly.

A pause.

"Stop playing around with me, Bella," he replied. "You know how awkward I am around new people."

"Fine, I can readily admit that, but this is your time to practice and improve on your social skills!" I encouraged. "Besides, remember when you were with Tanya, and hanging out with all the cool kids? Well, what happened?"

"You know that was merely a phase I went through after you rejected me," he said, annoyed.

"Okay, okay, I'll acknowledge that as well, but I seriously think you should meet them. They really want to meet you."

He sighed. "Fine, see you and your entourage in five."

* * *

Gia and Victoria gaped as Edward stood at the doorway, an uncomfortable expression on his face. They both looked starstruck. I couldn't blame them; Edward wasn't too hard on the eyes.

"He's gorgeous," Gia whispered furiously. "You totally dulled his beauty when you described him!"

I shrugged. "I got used to it."

I leaned up and pecked Edward on the cheek. He smiled and I ushered him inside, pushing past the girls lightly while doing so. Victoria was the first to regain her composure. She gave Edward a dazzling smile that admittedly made her already beautiful face striking, and held out a hand.

"Hi, I'm Victoria Chandler. But you can call me Tory," she purred.

Edward backed away a little. "Edward Cullen, nice meeting you," he said, taking her hand gingerly.

"Can I call you Eddie?" she asked.

"No," he said shortly.

She looked taken aback. "Why not?"

"I hate that name," he replied. He then turned to Gia, who had been watching the exchange warily.

He held a hand out to her. "Nice meeting you, Gia."

She blinked. "You know my name?"

"Bella told me about you," he explained.

Gia smiled. "Well, it's nice meeting you, too."

Victoria's phone beeped. She looked at it and swiftly typed something in. A few minutes later, she looked up and smiled.

"My friend invited me to a party in Port Angeles. Let's go."

"You have a friend in Port Angeles?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes," she replied impatiently. "Anastasia West. She used to live in New York City, but she moved away a few years ago."

"Anastasia West?" That name sounded familiar. "I might know her."

"It's not just you," Victoria replied scathingly. "She's a famous actress. She was in Danger's Path and Intense."

Her? I knew her! She was one of my famous actresses when I was younger. She helped me get through my adolescent years when Edward had been bullying me. But she had stopped acting awhile ago, and it had made me sad. I couldn't believe she was right next door in Port Angeles. What was she doing here? And why was she friends with snobby Victoria?

Victoria glanced at my face and sighed. "She moved here because she was tired of living in an area where paparazzi could track her easily and where everyone recognized her. In a small town like this, not many people notice. I met her when we were younger, around 6 at the time. She moved on to becoming this big shot movie star, but I was never really jealous. She's my closest friend; how could I be?"

She said these words, but her face showed a different story. A bitter smirk was playing on her lips, and her eyebrows were puckered.

I nodded slowly and said, "Well, I'm a huge fan."

"Isn't everyone?" she spat.

"Yes, yes," I replied in surrender. "Sorry, let's not talk about this."

Her face smoothed out, and she asked, "So, you're coming to the party?"

I looked at Edward, who was fidgeting nervously. "Um, I don't think Edward and I are going to go," I said.

He shot me a grateful look.

"Why not?" Victoria whined, widening her blue eyes.

"Well, we're not really into those sorts of things," I muttered.

Edward added, "We find them stupid, actually."

Victoria pouted. "Please?"

He sighed and looked at me. I didn't know what to do, so I turned to Gia, who glared at me for putting her in the spotlight.

"Um," she started, twirling a piece of her long hair idly. "I don't know, Tory. Why don't you go alone? You like that sort of scene, anyway."

Victoria stared at Gia, her eyes pleading. "Please, Gia. I want my new friends to come with me to this."

Gia looked at me helplessly. I honestly wanted to curl up with a good book tonight; not watch as teenagers got drunk and crazy. Finally, Edward spoke up.

"We'll go," he relented.

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "Really?"

"Yes. It's just one party, Bella," he pointed out. "We'll survive. Besides, I think you should hang out with some of your friends more often, and here is a chance presenting itself to you. Take it."

"But I've never been to a party before," I replied, looking down at the ground.

I felt a hand lifting my chin up. When I finally let it lift my face all the way, I was met with a pair of scorching green eyes.

"Bella, you only live once," he quoted.

Time to break the heavy mood. "Did you seriously just say that?" I teased. "So cheesy, Edward. I didn't know you had it in you."

He rolled his eyes and grinned lazily. "So, we're going?"

"Yes," I said finally, sighing.

Victoria smirked.

Suspicious.

* * *

"No, Gia! Stop! I don't want that gunk on my face," I complained, swatting her persistent hands away.

She frowned. "Please, Bella. You're going to look so great after this makeover."

"Are you calling me ugly?" I demanded.

"Yes," piped in Victoria. "She is."

I felt the strange urge to knock the mascara she was holding out of her hands. I ignored the compulsion and turned back to Gia.

"You're not ugly, Bella. But I think, sometimes, dressing up is nice. You've never done it before," she said.

"Yes, I have. You just weren't here to see it," I shot back.

A wounded expression came on her face. "You let another friend make you up?"

"Um... no. Just dress me up," I lied.

She stomped her foot immaturely. "I was your friend before whoever she is. Come on!"

"Fine, fine! But don't make me look like a raccoon," I warned.

She squealed happily and began her little project. I wished I had never agreed to go to this stupid party.

* * *

An hour later, we were all ready and waiting for Edward to come pick us up in his Volvo. Victoria and Gia were whispering, but I wasn't really envious. I was too distracted by the clingy, sparkly dress I had been forced into. I tugged at the hem self-consciously as the Volvo turned the corner onto my street.

As soon as it stopped, Edward got out, handsomely decked out in a black t-shirt and black jeans, and walked over to our side. Victoria batted her fake eyelashes at him as Gia whispered, "He looks great."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were into him," I joked.

She smiled pleasantly.

Edward helped Victoria in reluctantly, then Gia. I was the last to climb in. He turned to me and offered a hand, but as soon as he saw me, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. I refrained from rolling my eyes. Teenagers. I swatted his hand away and climbed in myself.

He shut the door softly and went over to the front. During the ride there, he kept on glancing back at me. I wished I had brought a hoodie or something. Anastasia's house was about 1 hour and a half away, and by the time we got there, I was feeling sluggish. Gia and Victoria had talked about girly things the whole ride here and for me, it had been a boring one.

Edward helped us out and hung back as Gia and Victoria rushed for the door.

"You look beautiful," he murmured against my ear.

I blushed and said, "You do, too."

"But you dressed up. I'm still in my regular outfit, if not a little spiced up," he said, laughing.

"You still look amazing," I protested. "Now let's go. I'm cold."

We hurried to catch up to Gia and Victoria. They were waiting for Anastasia to come and open the big oak doors. Meanwhile, I surveyed the house. No, correction. Mansion. It was a large, white abode with huge glass windows and a waterfall shaped like a mermaid in the front yard. Loud music was pumping in the house, but because this house was kind of secluded, no one really came to complain.

A few moments later, the door opened, revealing Anastasia West. I kept my jaw from dropping. I wanted her to be comfortable in her own house and party; not ogled by a fan. She was as beautiful as they made her out to be both on television and in magazines. I could tell they hadn't had to used much makeup on her, or edit much.

Her long golden hair was styled elegantly, and her large dark eyes were expressive. She smiled at Victoria, but her smile dropped as she surveyed the rest of us. Well, when she looked at me and Gia. When she looked at Edward, a leisurely smile spread on her face.

"Tory, introduce me," she demanded, looking at Edward.

Victoria eyed her. "Anastasia, Edward. Edward, Anastasia. And these two are Gia and Bella."

Anastasia looked at Edward appreciatively and beckoned that we come in. Finally.

As soon as we were in, she shut the door behind us and shouted, "Drinks in the kitchen. Feel free to associate with anyone here. I don't personally know a lot of them."

And with that, she pranced away, but not before winking at Edward.

I was disappointed, to say the least. Here was someone I had looked up to so much, and she was a vindictive, seductive woman with no respect for others. She was a typical Hollywood star. I would be trashing any past posters of her.

And not only that, but she was so blatantly flirting with Edward. Sure, she didn't know he was my boyfriend, but shouldn't she have automatically come to the conclusion that he was dating one of us? And Victoria. Well, I was angry with her flirting, but honestly, Edward didn't like her, so I wasn't too worried. But who knows how attracted he'll be to Anastasia? The thought scared me.

Gia went off to dance, but not before whispering, "Have fun. Keep as many girls as you can away from that boyfriend of yours."

I nodded and watched as she glided away.

"So," Edward said awkwardly. "Do you want a drink?"

"I don't drink," I told him.

"I know that," he hurriedly replied. "I meant soda or fruit punch."

"They might be spiked," I pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "Bella..."

"Fine, I'll have a coke."

* * *

Luckily, the soft drinks were not spiked, so Edward and I were feeling pretty sober two hours into the party. We were honestly bored out of our minds, but we couldn't leave without Gia or Victoria, and the last time we had seen her, Gia had been dancing with a cute guy, while we didn't know where in the house Victoria was.

Edward sighed as I laid on the couch, resting my head on his lap. Drunk teens staggered past us, muttering the oddest things, and the music seemed to have gotten louder since the beginning.

Finally, Edward announced, "I'm going to find your two friends, so we can go home."

I nodded in agreement and stood up. "You go upstairs and downstairs. I'll stay on this floor."

He gave me a thumbs up and walked away. I shoved past moving bodies and searched through the throngs of people dancing. I couldn't find her anywhere. It was driving me nuts! Finally, I decided to ask someone for assistance. It's been half an hour, at least!

I went over to the only calm guy in the bunches of people.

"Hey, did you see a girl with auburn hair and blue eyes? She's pretty tall," I described, trying to bring some hope into my sinking heart.

He contemplated before brightly saying, "Yes! I have, actually. She left the room an hour ago and headed upstairs."

I could've sworn I saw a smirk play on his lips as he said this, but I ignored it. He was helping me, after all. He could be lying, but at this point, I was trying everything I possibly could.

I thanked him before sprinting upstairs. Then, I realized that Edward was upstairs too, and if Gia was truly upstairs, he'd have found her by now. But maybe not, my other side argued. Maybe he just hasn't finished looking. This is a huge house. My other other side agreed.

I tried every door. I ran into a few things I wished I hadn't run into, but otherwise, nothing special. I was about to head downstairs when I ran into a grinning Anastasia.

"Hey, have you seen Gia anywhere?" I tried, expecting a no.

"Yes, I have," she replied, surprising me. "She's in that room by the closets."

"But I tried that one," I muttered.

"She stumbled into it 10 minutes ago," she said.

"Oh, that was after I checked. Thank you so much," I told her gratefully.

She smiled again and left. Maybe she wasn't so bad. I walked over to the room, which was all the way on the opposite end of the hallway. For some reason, my feet wouldn't move, as if they were telling me something... like not to go into this room. Like doing so would mean that I would feel miserable. Or like doing so would hurt me.

But I laughed off my paranoia and creaked open the door. What I saw made me stumble back in surprise.

Edward was kissing Gia... passionately. His shirt was off, hers was coming off, and I didn't want to see anymore. I shut the door quietly and fled. I didn't care where I was going; I just had to go somewhere.

**So you guys weren't expecting for Gia to be the naughty one, huh? You thought it was going to be Victoria or Anastasia, huh? Haha, sorry, I find this both sad and funny. I'm so sadistic.**

**Please review a lot since this chapter was the most dramatic since the first few. It would mean the world to me. **

**FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF THE NEXT CHAPTER, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: Do you usually skip over author's notes or actually read them? Haha, if you skip over them, you won't see this one, and then, no sneak peek :)**

**Sorry, I'm in a weird mood right now. Must be the stress or emotional pressure :) Or the sugar my mom put into the strawberries she made me...**

**Anyway, bye, and remember to tell me what you thought of this chapter. **


	11. Over

**Thank you so, so, so much for all of the reviews! 27 for one chapter? Phenomenal.**

**Let's see what's going to happen! Drama coming up... a whole lot of it. Get ready, because "when it rains, it pours". **

On my way down, I bumped into Anastasia. She had a smirk on her face, and that's when I knew she was part of this whole scheme. She had purposefully set me up so I could see my boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, cheating on me. I got ready to scream.

"Hey, Bella. You feeling okay?" she asked, her lips still smirking.

"How dare you?" I demanded quietly, simmering with restrained fury. "You call yourself a role model for all the children who look up at you? You just ruined a relationship, for the sake of your satisfaction."

"Oh, it wasn't just for the sake of my satisfaction, though it did make me feel pretty good. I'm helping another relationship bloom, while killing one. I like theirs better, anyway. Victoria really liked him, but I told her to stay back. Aren't Gia and Edward so cute together?" she asked sweetly, blinking innocently.

That's when I broke. I slapped her so hard she stumbled back. She held a hand to her face as she gasped. Unwanted tears filled my eyes as I shoved past her. She screamed profanities after me as I fled down the stairs and outside into the chilled air. It was April, but Forks wouldn't allow for the air to become warm until at least June.

I knelt down and buried my face in between my knees as my sobs wracked through my body. I screamed as images of Edward and Gia kissing flew through my mind, taunting me. Killing me. I picked myself up and stumbled sideways, tears blurring my vision. I saw the beginnings of the forest to the left of her house. I headed for it. I didn't care how dangerous it was. I just wanted to get as far away from this house as possible.

* * *

**Gia's POV**

As Edward's hands ran over me, an unexpected image of Bella hit me, making me gasp in shock and guilt. I pushed away from Edward, who staggered back, mumbling his confusion. How could I do this? How could I take advantage of a drunk person? I was completely sober when he had stumbled in. I could've led him outside gently and to Bella, but I hadn't. Instead, I had let him sit by me, lent him a shoulder. He had leaned against me as he murmured his worries and pains. And then, things had gotten out of hand, and now, I was in too deep.

I was attracted to Edward... Bella's boyfriend. My best friend's boyfriend! I had known that as we had begun kissing. Yet I had pushed forward anyway. How could I have?

Edward looked at me blearily and muttered, "Why are we stopping?"

"Because this is not right. You have a girlfriend," I said miserably.

He frowned in confusion. "A girlfriend?"

He was clueless as a drunk. And then, out of the blue, he slammed his lips onto mine again. Taken aback by surprise, I reciprocated. Lustful thoughts filled my head as we continued.

There was no turning back.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The trees felt slippery underneath my hands as I held onto them support. I kept moving forwards. I didn't know how much time had passed. It seemed like forever, though.

And that's when I realized I was weeping and wounding myself over a boy who've I been dating for not even a year. I wiped excess tears away and straightened up. Has it really come to this? Me, Bella Swan, feeling this sad over a relationship? I shook my head and cleared my head of all unnecessarily negative thoughts.

As I surveyed the scene around me, I realized I didn't know where the heck I was. I had been walking for at least an hour, so I was pretty deep in, yet the woods looks the same as they had when I first entered. I groaned while lightly hitting my head against the nearest tree.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! my thoughts yelled, reprimanding me.

"What am I going to do now?" I muttered, my voice muffled by the tree trunk.

Suddenly, I heard leaves rustling from behind me. My heart began beating rapidly. Oh freaking no, this was not happening to me. If I died today, I was going to haunt Edward for the rest of his sorry life and make sure he was aware of what he did.

I quietly slid behind the tree and waited anxiously. The seconds ticked by slowly as I tried not to breathe. Of course, this didn't work, and only resulted in making my breathing heavier and more labored. I urged myself to breathe normally again and waited as calmly as I could- basically, I was panicking.

Finally, a tall figure stepped out into the area in which I had just been. His face grew clear, illuminated by the moonlight. He had long, silky hair the color of night and warm brown eyes expressively placid. He was muscular, yet he wasn't bulky. It was a nice combination. His eyes squinted as he looked around, clearly looking for something.

Me.

My heartbeat quickened as he stepped closer and closer to me. I decided that I had to move now if I wanted to get away. I lifted my right leg and carefully set it down. Wrong move. Being the fool I am, I had managed to step into a pile of crinkly leaves. They made a loud sound as I settled my weight onto them, and I froze. I turned around. The boy was alert, tense, waiting to fight if he had to.

"Who's there?" he called out in a clear voice.

I didn't move. I didn't speak.

"I know you're out there," he continued, a tinge of fear finally invading his tone.

I stayed quiet. What kind of stupid person would actually reply to that?

With reflexes as fast as a cheetah's the boy sprung up and ran to Bella. A confused look took over his cute face.

"Um, who're you?" he asked.

I couldn't speak. I was still in shock.

He waved a hand in front of my face. "Hello? Do you need to be taken to the hospital? My dad can take you."

I shifted back to life and said, "No, no. It's fine. I'm just lost. Can you tell me the way back to Port Angeles?"

"You came here from Port Angeles?" he asked, gaping, an incredulous look on his face.

I nodded. "Yeah... it's a long story. Where am I anyway?"

"Basically the middle of nowhere. There's not really a name for where this is. It's between Port Angeles, La Push, and Forks. Kinda complicated," he described.

"Oh... so you don't know the way back to Port Angeles?" I asked.

"Well, I can give you my best guess, but it'd be easier for me to point you the way back to Forks or La Push. I'm not really familiar with Port Angeles. But first, who are you?"

"Just a stranger asking for directions," I responded vaguely.

He rolled his eyes. "Do you have a name, or were you parents too lazy to give you one?"

"Bella," I relented.

"Hi, Bella. I'm Jacob," he said, smiling.

"Hi." This boy was funny. I had been feeling pretty freaked out before, and he had turned my mood around completely. Not a lot of people could do that to someone like me.

"So, if you walk in that general direction," he gestured southeast, "you'll be in Forks. I'm not sure quite where, but Forks is small enough that you'll end up somewhere near your house. Cool?"

"Thank you so much," I said, feeling indebted. "But wait, why are you here? It just seems a bit odd that someone as young as you is just wandering around the woods alone."

"Oh, this is sorta my escape. Life is hard at home, and I want to get away sometimes, you know?" he said, sticking his hands into his pockets.

"I do know," I said quietly, thinking of Renee and Charlie's divorce. "It's just funny how we managed to stumble upon each other in a big forest like this."

It wasn't just funny; it was weird.

"Isn't it?" he mused. "Wait, this brings me to another question. Why are you here?"

"Oh," I said awkwardly. "I was at a party in Port Angeles and just couldn't take the loud music or rude teens anymore." Partially the truth.

"Well, nice meeting you, Bella. Get home safely," he said before walking away, hands still in his pockets, head bowed down.

I watched until I couldn't see his outline anymore and walked in the direction he had pointed me to, feeling much better. Sometimes, fate handed us people or things for a reason, and Jacob proved to me that such a thing could happen to someone like me.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up feeling terrible. The night before, it had taken me another hour to get back to Forks, and now, my legs were throbbing painfully, while my neck felt like it had a huge crick in it.

Today was Sunday, the last day before Victoria and Gia were to go home.

Gia... I can't believe she did that to me. She's done many reckless, rude things before, but this was... this was different. When we were younger, we promised one another that we wouldn't let boys tear us apart, and here it was, happening rapidly. I knew that I should be worried about where she was and how far she had gone with Edward, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. She had betrayed me, and I wasn't going to forgive her that easily.

Edward... I was disappointed in him. I wasn't angry, however. I had been yesterday, but with his good looks, how long could I have expected for him to stay with me? I wasn't gross looking, but his looks surpassed mine by far, and it was only a matter of time before he decided I wasn't good enough. I was just sad that it had to be with Gia, my previous closest friend.

Victoria... I hated her. I've hated her since the minute I met her, and it hadn't simmered down. It was boiling.

Anastasia... those posters were going in the fire.

I plopped back down in bed and tried my hardest to keep myself from thinking of the intimate position I had found Gia and Edward in yesterday night. But it was a difficult feat. The more I thought about not thinking of it, the more I thought of it. I was almost ready to kill myself.

I sighed and forced myself up again. I couldn't let a boy do this to me. I wouldn't let a boy do this to me. I'd send him a spiteful text message, breaking up with him in the worst way possible, send Gia a spiteful message, telling her our friendship is over and that her actions were despicable, and send fan mail to Anastasia, explaining why she was a terrible actress and person, although only the second one was true. Meanwhile, Victoria... well, let's just say that her air mattress was popped and in the nearby lake, on the bottom, surrounded by fish and fish poop.

"Bella!" Renee called.

"Yes!"

"I'm heading out to meet Esme. I'll see you later, alright, Honey?" she informed.

"Sure, I'll be at home all day."

The door shut, leaving me in the house all alone.

For the rest of the morning, I sat with a tub of ice cream (not due to grief, I promise) and read one of my favorite novels. As I immersed myself in the book, I found myself forgetting all about the fiasco yesterday night. Maybe it was that it didn't effect me too much, or maybe I was in denial. Either way, I was fine.

At approximately 12:00 P.M., my cell rang. I glanced at it warily. To answer or not to answer. That is the question. I decided to take my chances. If it was either Gia or Edward, I wanted to hear their sides of the story. I would explain to them what I saw, and let's see what would happen.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Bella!" It was Gia, sounding hassled and nervous. "Where are you? We looked for you everywhere this morning and couldn't find you."

"Why didn't you call me earlier?" I asked.

A pause.

"Well, by morning, I meant about 10 minutes ago. I woke up kinda late," she said.

Hm, I wonder why. "Where are you?"

Another pause. "Still at Anastasia's."

"Why?"

"Well, I got drunk and slept till now," she said nervously.

"And where's Edward?"

A pause. Got you.

"I- I don't know where he is," she lied, her voice high-pitched. She was obviously not skilled in the arts of deceit.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, why would I?" she asked, giggling.

"Did you see him anytime yesterday?" I asked. "I'm kinda worried. The last time I saw him was before we went out looking for you. Had he found you?"

A pause.

"Where are you?" she asked, an attempt at changing the subject.

"At home," I replied casually.

"How could you ditch us like this?" she demanded.

My blood simmered. "Excuse me?"

"You just left without saying a word," she said.

I decided to shock her. "That's because I saw someone- no, two someones- being very, very naughty."

A pause. Very long pause.

"Bella," she whispered.

"Yes, that's right. I saw you and my boyfriend kissing. So I left. Is that so wrong? I thought you were my friend, Gia. But I guess you're not. I tried to think this over; rationalize. But nothing came to me. All that registered was that you, my best friend of 4 years, felt the need to kiss my boyfriend," I hissed.

"We didn't just kiss."

What?

No.

_No, they did not!_

"What are you saying?" I asked in a deadly calm voice.

"We... went further."

"Say it, Gia," I said.

"We... I can't say it, Bella," she pleaded, her voice laced with pain.

"You made love to him," I volunteered. "Before I did."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I really am. I was blinded with lust. It happened involuntarily."

"Were you drunk?"

"No, but... but."

"But nothing. Was he drunk?"

"Yes," she replied. "I tried to tell him to stop, but he was so intoxicated that he flung himself on me again. There was no stopping, Bella. The deed was done."

"They say when you're drunk, your true feelings expose themselves. Which means from the moment he met you, carnal desires were on his mind, but he just didn't want to acknowledge them," I told her quietly. "I don't know what to say to you right now, so don't call me again for awhile. But don't stop Edward from calling me. I need to talk to him."

I hung up, not letting her reply. Numbness filled me, to the point where I felt suffocated. I couldn't believe it. Edward was no longer a virgin- he had told me he was a while ago.

Five minutes later, I got a call from Edward. I took a deep breath and answered it, saying the words I have been mentally preparing to say for the past five minutes or so.

Before he could get one word out, I said, "We're through."

**Wow... intense stuff. I almost wish the fluffies would dominate again. Isn't it weird how dramatic chapters are way longer than fluffy chapters? **

**IF YOU WANT A SNEAK PEEK, ANSWER THE FOLLOW QUESTION: These days, in books, you'll almost always find a love triangle. Are you always on the good boy team or the bad boy team? For me, it depends. For example, in Legend, I'm totally Team DAY over Team Anden, hence my username, and he's a bad boy. However, in The Infernal Devices, I'm Team JEM over Team Will, and he's a good boy. So you can answer as one, or you can be indefinite like me.**

**Review, review, review, please. I know I'm not going to get 26 again, but above 10 would be lovely.**

**SHOUT OUT TO Alexa Twilight for saying she reads author's notes because there might be shout outs, and I thought I'd try to be humorous by giving a shout out to her... ha ha... No?**


	12. Despicable

**Wow, 29 reviews? I'm absolutely blown away. Thank you so, so much! However, it was hard work sending out sneak peeks. Oh, well. Such is the price of getting good response. **

**I'm sorry this chapter took a while; I was having trouble writing it, so it may not be the best, but at least it's up, right? Well, you'll be the judges of that. It's in Edward's point of view, so it'd be nice to get feedback on that... He's acting a bit... odd, to say the least, but don't prance away because you don't like his persona- he's going through a tough time. Not as tough of a time Bella's having, but emotionally, he's almost as unstable. **

_Edward's point of view_

"We're through."

I stared at the phone in shock, feeling numb and alone. Bella was breaking up with me... without even hearing me out? I glared at Gia, who was staring at me nervously, wide-eyed. We were in Anastasia's bedroom, and apparently, we had spent the night together. I couldn't quite remember it too well, but based on Gia's facial expression, and Bella's hostilely said two words, I could assume that Gia and I did more than just kiss.

I took in a deep breath to calm myself and demanded, "What happened yesterday night?"

She giggled nervously and asked, "Do you really want to know?"

"Tell me," I hissed.

She sighed and took a seat. "I was in this room, trying to get away from all the noise and partying. After ten minutes or so, you stumbled in, clearly drunk. You didn't know who I was, at first. You took a seat next me, put your head on my shoulder, and quite literally weeped as you told me of your worries, pains, and regrets. I didn't know what to do. I don't remember how it came to this, but soon, we were kissing. I'm a woman, Edward. I was filled with lust. I tried to push you off once, but you didn't let me. And then... we went even further. I'm guessing Bella came in as we were kissing."

I couldn't even look at her. "I don't remember drinking, let alone drinking so much to the point where I was drunk."

"I don't know," she replied. "I just saw you coming in drunk."

I mulled it over, trying to think about how I could've possibly gotten drunk without knowing it. My mind pinpointed two culprits: Anastasia and Victoria. Blood pumping, I ran downstairs, shoving past Gia, and went straight to the two offenders, who were talking as they drank coffee.

"What did you guys do to me yesterday?" I demanded, glaring at the two of them, shaking with unrestrained fury.

Anastasia smirked. "Whatever do you mean? We didn't do anything."

"We all know you two did something to make me drunk yesterday night. And you two probably pushed me into the same room Gia was in. But how? All I drank was soda, and Bella and I were sure the cups weren't spiked with alcohol."

"We saw you approaching, so I grabbed a cup of soda, put some very strong alcohol in it, and placed it at the center of the table. As expected, you grabbed it, took a big swig, and went along your way. Ten minutes later, we saw you staggering toward the room Gia was in and just gave you a little encouraging push. So, you see, you were going to go in there anyway. We just sped it along," Anastasia said, grinning evilly, looking like a deranged villain.

Bella was never going to forgive me. I had done untrustworthy acts before, so how was she to know that, this time, I was blameless? If I had an untarnished record, maybe I could get away with this, but when it came to Bella, I didn't. And as a result, I would be losing her.

I stepped close to them. Their eyes simultaneously widened as they took in my shaking, clenched form.

"Why would you do such a thing?" I hissed quietly.

Victoria scuffled back a little and cleared her throat. "We personally feel like you and Gia make such a better pair than you and Bella made."

"That's not your call to make. You can believe it, but you also willingly tore Bella and I apart when we were at the peak of our relationship. I _love _Bella, and I would never intentionally hurt her. And you guys just made her believe I would."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "You love her?"

"Yes, I do," I replied firmly, not doubting myself one bit. "I love her, and you just made it so that it's an unrequited love. How could you take pride in something so vile? So tainted?"

"Listen closely, Shakespeare, because here's what I have to say to your words: I don't care. You're acting like an immature douche right now, and I don't have time for this, so why don't you take your pretty little face, and half-witted attitude, and get out of my house, huh?" Anastasia snapped.

And that's when I snapped. "If you don't tell Bella what really happened, I will make your lives living hells."

I noticed Victoria gulping and smiled. I was getting to her. Then, Anastasia ruined it.

"Tory, I've got this. Look here, Edward. If you think we're going to reverse what happened, you're wrong. What's done is done, and even if we did explain, Bella wouldn't forgive you, anyway. Get together with Gia and leave."

And with that, she took Victoria's hand and walked away, flinging her hair in my face as she did so. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there, not feeling. While my heart was empty, my mind was filled to the brim with unwanted thoughts.

How could Gia betray her own friend, especially when she was completely sober?

Did I really lose Bella?

Why does Bella have such bad friends?

I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up. Gia was walking down the staircase, her face withdrawn, and her hair a wild mess. She met my glance and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I am so sorry," she whispered miserably.

I stared at her, not ready to forgive. "You took advantage of me. Bella's boyfriend. Can you honestly call yourself a friend to her?"

She looked down again. "I wasn't thinking straight. You can't deny that you're attractive. We were both feeling weird yesterday night."

"But you were sober!" I shouted. "I wasn't."

"Your true emotions reveal themselves when you're unguarded and have no boundaries- so when you were drunk, you might've been feeling the most coherent inside," she said, a red color tinting her cheeks.

Wait a second... Did she actually believe that I liked her? Over Bella? I almost laughed at the prospect, but the situation was too grim for such a sound.

"So you think I like you?"

She looked up from underneath her eyelashes. "Do you?"

"Answer my question," I pressed.

A pause.

"Yes," she confessed. "And I like you, too. From the moment I saw you, something changed. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. I know you used to be with Bella, but our long distance relationship could work- since we seem to truly like one another."

I put a hand up and she stopped talking, anticipating my words. "I love Bella, Gia."

Her face twisted in pain, an automatic reaction to my words. "I hate the fact that we made love before Bella and I did, but it happened, and there's nothing I can change about that. But I know for a fact that I will never date someone like you. Someone despicable enough to go against her own friend like that. Someone superficial enough to fall in someone just because they think he's handsome. Someone hateful enough that she'd take her own best friend's boyfriend away so thoughtlessly. I'm sorry, Gia, but this is the last time I see you. I'm going to plead with Bella to take me back, and I hope you know I'm going to make sure she never forgets what you did. I don't need her to forgive me, but I do need her to never forgive you."

I pivoted and walked determinedly to the door, still breathing heavily from my little speech.

"You cheated on her! You think she's going to forgive you? She won't understand; I know she won't. So why don't you come back and be with me?" Gia screeched from behind me.

I ignored her and made my way to my car.

I was going to try my hardest to get Bella back. If it didn't work, I didn't know what I'd do.

Probably die or something of that sort.

**Let's see. 15 reviews would be nice before I update. It's not a mandatory goal; it's a personal one. **

**I don't know what to think of this chapter... I sort of like it, sort of don't. Tell me what you think.**

**IF YOU WOULD LIKE A SNEAK PEEK OF THE NEXT CHAPTER, ANSWER THIS: do you think this story should go past Edward and Bella's high school years, or be finished at the end of their high school years? They're in senior year, so if you choose the latter, this story would have about... Rough estimate: 15 chapters left. **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**


	13. Friend

**Once again, I am shocked. 30 reviews again? Simply amazing. Your reviews inspired me to get this chapter up as soon as possible.**

**IMPORTANT: In the sneak peek, I wrote pedophile, and for some reason, fanfiction automatically made it so that it read p and then some asterisks after. I assure you that I do NOT say bad words, and that I don't consider pedophile a bad word. When I saw that, I got super frustrated.**

**I hope you enjoy :)**

Bella's point of view

After breaking up with Edward, I felt surprisingly light- as if a heavy weight had been lifted off my chest and tossed aside. Our relationship wasn't tense at all, but at the back of my mind, I had always been a bit... wary of him and his motives. I believed he had lost his memory, but how was I know to know he had truly changed? Well, he hadn't.

It was weird. After seeing Gia and Edward being intimate, I had been so devastated, to the point where I had recklessly wandered into the forest. But now, it seemed as if I was actually fine with this split. I guess what really activated my heavy emotions was the unexpectedness of it all. The last person I would've thought to betray me was Gia, so when I saw her with Edward, my disbelief and dark emotions were triggered.

I sighed and shook all thoughts of Edward or Gia away. I needed to distract myself with homework. I grabbed my knapsack and jogged upstairs. For the next ten minutes or so, I was completely immersed with my work. Then, the doorbell rang, breaking my stride. I set my books down and walked to the door, curious. Renee couldn't be back already, could she?

I peeked through the peephole and practically screeched when I saw who it was.

Edward. It was Edward. The very person who I had just broken up with. The very person who betrayed me. The very person who I utterly and absolutely despised. I began to back away, not willing to open the door, when Edward looked through and announced, "I know you're in there, Bella. I can't see you, but I know you're there. Please, open up. I have some things I need to explain."

I laughed bitterly and muttered to myself, "You don't need to explain anything, you traitor. It's simple; you cheated on me with my best friend."

I shook my head in disappointment and continued moving away from the door. Suddenly, he began to knock, almost fervently. I waited for a minute. It continued. I couldn't help but wonder how his knuckles weren't hurting by now. I stood there in silence with bated breath, and waited for it to stop. It didn't. How could I possibly continue working with this racket?

I braced myself and swung open the door, making myself look defiant and confident. Edward stumbled back in surprise, rubbing his knuckles as he winced. I leaned against the doorway, trying to look as cool as possible, and stared at him coolly.

"Yes?" I demanded quietly.

He stared back at me, his eyes tired. "Can I come in?"

I shook my head and pressed my lips together tightly. "You have a 15 word limit and 30 seconds. Go."

His eyes widened. "Erm..."

"One down."

He closed his eyes tightly for a second before opening them with a determined look in his eyes. "Your friends spiked my drink. I was drunk. Didn't mean it. Take me back."

My jaw dropped. I had known he had been drunk, but I hadn't known "my friends" had spiked his drink.

"Who spiked it?" I demanded, running through the possibilities. It had to be...

"Anastasia and Gia," Edward said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. And then his face brightened. "So you understand?"

I paused. Did I? No, the answer was no. And that was because being around him made me feel really heavy inside. He brought really unwanted memories into my mind, and I didn't want to be with someone who darkened my thoughts rather than made them brighter. I also couldn't stand the thought that he had been that close with a previously close friend of mine. Even if he was drink, I couldn't believe that he would stoop that low.

Besides, I wasn't that easy. He might think that I'm some weak, senseless girl, but I'm not. I will not give in that easily; maybe never. I have better people to be with and better feelings to feel. His face fell at the look on my face.

"No," I replied. "I don't."

"Why not?"

"Being around you is like being around a constant reminder of my dark past. Being around you makes me feel so... terrible, to put it simply. I can't be in a relationship with someone like that, Edward. I'm too young to have to deal with this much pain and stress. I just want to relax. It's my last year of high school, and it's yours as well, and we both deserve to just feel... at peace," I said, avoiding his intense gaze.

"But- but it wasn't my fault. Your friends were the ones who put alcohol into my drink and pushed me into the same room as Gia's. Your friends are the real offenders here. I didn't do anything to deserve this," Edward said, pleading.

"Yes, but I just can't get over this. I'm not pinning all the blame on you. In fact, I'm pinning very little. But I can't deal with someone like this. I can't deal with a relationship with such a tarnished record. I won't say I'm sorry, because I'm not. I wish you all the best, Edward, and tell Gia to never come near me again. I'll drop her stuff off at your house when you're not there, as well as Victoria's. Tell her never, and I mean never, to talk to me again. She's no friend of mine, and Victoria was never a friend of mine."

I shot him one last look before shutting the door on his face. A few angry tears slid down my face. I rubbed them furiously and stalked back upstairs, where before long, I was back in the mode of doing work. However, this time, I did it with much more fervor.

* * *

The house phone rang about an hour later. I let out a groan. It was probably Edward or Gia, begging me to forgive them. I ignored it and continued working on my homework. It rang again. I rolled my eyes before getting my earbuds out from my bag. But before I could plug them into my ears, the voicemail clicked on and a husky, mysterious voice filled the air.

_Um, hey, Bella. It's Jacob, that random kid you met in the woods the other day. I know this is gonna sound completely ridiculous, but I was wondering if you'd want to go to my school dance with me. I'm so sorry if I'm creeping you out, but I kinda don't want to be a loser and not have anyone to go with. Quite frankly, my friends are betting I won't be able to find a girl to go with, so I want to prove them wrong. Also, you seem like a cool girl, and when we met, you were crying. You also looked super confused. Maybe we can talk? I'm not a pedophile or some stalker. I just asked around and Forks doesn't have too many people named Bella, so I eliminated and here we are. Okay, that sounded stalker-ish, but I promise you, I am not TOO much of a stalker. Okay, this is dragging. Just call me back at this number, and we can talk, friend to friend, stranger to stranger. Um... see ya._

I stared blankly at the wall. Jacob? As in the guy who helped me find my way back to Forks the other day? Well, duh, idiot. Who else? I shook my head and jogged downstairs, where the house phone was. I walked up to it and just gazed at it unsurely. I didn't want to be abducted, but I didn't think Jacob would do that. He looked way too innocent when I first met him. But then again... looks can deceive. I contemplated. To call or not to call? To trust or not to trust?

What would any other responsible person do? Well, they wouldn't call. But then again, who ever said I played safely? I picked up the phone and redialed his number. A few rings later, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Um, hi," I replied awkwardly. "It's me. Bella."

"Bella!" he exclaimed, surprise lacing his tone. "You actually called back!"

"You weren't expecting for me to?" I questioned.

"Well, sure. I didn't think you'd want to talk to a complete stranger. Or almost complete. If you know someone's name, you're not a stranger to them... anyway, are you here to tell me to get the heck away from you or accept my proposal?"

"I called to talk," I confessed. "I'll give you my answer for the other question sometime in the future. I guess I just need a friend."

"So you want to talk over the phone or actually get together?" he asked.

I considered this. Be stupid or be smart.

"Let's meet somewhere."

* * *

"The last time I came here was when I was 4," I muttered, staring out into the ocean.

Jacob, who was thankfully not crazy, grinned. "You've obviously been not living properly. This beach is the life of Forks."

"Well, I moved away at 14 years old," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but what about those 10 years between being 4 and moving away?" he shot back.

I shrugged. "I guess I really wasn't living. You come here often?"

"Yeah, it's kinda my safe haven. I come here to just let go," he said, staring into the sunset.

"Is my presence bothering you at all?" I asked, suddenly feeling concerned.

He shook his head. "No, of course not! I wouldn't have invited you otherwise. I like having you here."

I blushed and said, "I'm not that fun."

"Yes, you are," he insisted. "Here, why don't we sit down and get to know one another."

I nodded and plopped down onto the grainy, wet sand. He did the same next to me, but leaned back onto his palms. "So, Bella. You mind telling me your full name?"

I looked at him warily and he rolled his eyes. "You really think I would do anything to you? We've already been together for half an hour, and I haven't done anything."

"Isabella Swan," I gave in.

His chocolatey eyes widened. "Isabella Swan?"

"Yes, Isabella Swan," I repeated, confused.

"Is your dad Charlie Swan?" he asked, looking at me as if I were a whole new person.

I nodded slowly. "Yes..."

"And your mother is Renee Swan?"

I was thoroughly freaked out. "Yes. How do you know this stuff?"

He beamed. "I'm Jacob Black. We're childhood buddies. Our parents were friends, so we got together many times, just to hang out. We used to hang with my sisters, too, but they're all away now, fulfilling their dreams. I remember a little bit about you, but you probably don't remember anything about me."

"I don't. I'm sorry," I apologized regretfully.

"It's fine, I didn't expect for you to. You're... 17 right now, right?" he asked.

"Yes, you?"

"16," he replied. "I knew you looked familiar. So now that we got that figured out, why don't you tell me why you were crying the other day?" he brought up, his face concerned.

I didn't know if I wanted to tell him, old friend or not. I gave him a hesitant glance and he offered an encouraging one in response. A few seconds passed in silence. I didn't know what to say, or what to do.

Finally, I relented. "My boyfriend cheated on me that day with my best friend. She was visiting."

His eyes widened as his lips pulled back over his teeth in a snarl. "What?! Who is this guy?"

"His name's Edward Cullen," I replied.

"That's terrible! Where did this happen?" he questioned furiously.

"At a party," I said numbly. "Apparently, his drink was spiked, but I still can't forgive him. He came to me today and apologized, but I didn't accept it. I understood that it wasn't completely his fault, but I can't be with someone who did that to me."

Jacob nodded in approval. "Yes, that's the right attitude. Forgive, but don't forget."

"Isn't it forgive and forget?" I questioned.

"Yes, but I believe in my own twist much more. Why should you forget someone's past mistakes? You should remember them to make sure that that person doesn't repeat said mistakes again in the future," he explained. "Anyway, we're getting off track... Are you okay?"

I shrugged, then nodded. "Yes, I think I am. At first, I was upset, which is the state you saw me in when we met in the forest, but I've come to accept it and actually be okay with it."

He smiled. "You're pretty strong."

"Thanks, but I'm not really. I'm just trying to avoid it all by not taking him back in," I replied.

"No, the fact that you can give him up shows just how strong you are," he said firmly.

"Maybe," I said softly.

* * *

In the end, I accepted Jacob's proposal to go to the dance with him. I dropped Gia and Victoria's things off at Edward's house, trashed all of the cute, romantic things he had given me, and ripped up all photos we had taken at the mall on our... fifth date.

I was moving on.

Slowly, but surely.

**So... Jacob's in the picture now... that's a little bit of relief from the stress, but don't worry... it'll be back soon. Maybe... 2 chapters from now? **

**IF YOU WANT A SNEAK PEEK, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: what's the stupidest thing you've ever done? I have WAYYY too many to just name one :)**


	14. College

**Important: I changed my username to "clary14".**

**Also, I realize that the time gap between sneak peeks and actual updates is small, so I'm no longer sending out sneak peeks. I hope you still review, though :)**

"You're kidding me!" Angela gasped as I filled her in on what had happened over the weekend.

"So where are Gia and Victoria now?" she asked.

"New York, again. I didn't hear of Edward pressing charges against Victoria or Anastasia, and Gia just left. I can understand why he didn't. Honestly, spiking drinks at a high school party isn't actually a huge crime, and it would be a waste of both breath and time," I said.

"No wonder the atmosphere was so tense between you and Edward today. You guys were never together one, and while he seemed as if he wanted to talk to you, you always left as soon as he arrived. I'm so sorry, Bella."

"Don't be. I'm not miserable about it. It happened, and there's not much I can do about it. Besides, I met someone who cheered me up," I hinted with a smile.

"Who?" she asked.

"Someone," I replied vaguely.

"C'mon, Bella. Tell me," Angela pestered, her brown eyes wide and pleading.

I sighed and said, "His name's Jacob. On the day I saw Gia and Edward kissing, I stumbled out into the forest and got lost. Jacob, someone near our age, bumped into me and guided me back to Forks. The next day, we met up, he asked me to go to a dance at his school, and I accepted," I explained.

Angela's face was priceless. Her surprise was quite endearing.

"Wow," she whispered.

"I know. Isn't it weird?"

"Beyond weird," she concurred.

* * *

On the day I was due to go to the dance, Angela came over and made me over. It was an irritating experience, but the end product made it all worth it. The doorbell rang, Angela gave me an enthusiastic push, and I was out the door, standing underneath the porch lights next to Jacob, who was decked out in a suit. He looked so uncomfortable, it made me want to laugh aloud.

He rolled his eyes at my expression and muttered, "Don't laugh at my pain."

I smiled, suppressing the urge to burst out into incontrollable giggles, and murmured, "Don't worry. I won't."

He held out an arm and asked, "Shall we?"

I took it, and we were on our way.

* * *

One of Jacob's friends whistled. "Jake, nice catch!"

Jacob shot him an annoyed glance and snapped, "Stop being immature, Paul."

I blushed and hid myself a bit more behind Jacob.

"What's her name?" a peppy, young boy asked.

"Bella," I volunteered, stepping out from behind Jacob.

A thin, wiry boy asked, "What school are you from?"

"Forks High. Ring a bell?"

He nodded. "Used to go there, but when my family moved here, I transferred. I fit in much better here."

"You guys all go to La Push High, right?"

They all nodded. "What're your names?"

"I'm Paul."

"I know."

"Well, you asked," he muttered.

"I'm Seth," cut in the immature looking guy.

"I'm Quil," a short, bulky one greeted.

"Sam," the tallest one said briskly.

"Embry," the lean one introduced.

Jacob gently nudged me and whispered, "Let's ditch these guys and dance."

I laughed and nodded. "Well, it was nice meeting you all."

They all said their goodbyes, and Jacob pulled me to the dance floor. At first, it was awkward, since we were both bad dancers, but soon, we began to laugh at our silly, clumsy mistakes. Conversation flowed easily from then on and talking to him was so... relieving and stressless.

Soon, we grew tired and sweaty, so we decided to go outside for a little while. It was quiet for the first few minutes, but soon, he spoke, "You're over that guy, right?"

"Yes," I said firmly.

"Well, then you won't mind if I do this, right?"

And before I could comprehend his words, he leaned in close and kissed me on the lips. At first, I just let him, but soon, I responded.

And it felt nice.

**2 months later **

"We are proud to announce this year's graduates!" the principal yelled as we threw our graduation caps into the air.

Jacob flew up to me from the stands and swung me around in a hug. I squealed as he then began squeezing the life out of me.

"Congrats!" he yelled, setting me down gently.

"Thanks," I replied enthusiastically. "Next year, I'll be going to your graduation!"

He suddenly looked really bummed out. "Right..."

"Are you still upset about that? Just because there's a one year age difference, it doesn't mean our relationship will worsen. I'll call you every week," I comforted. "Is that good?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "Just a bit hung up about it..."

"It's fine, Jacob. Let's just be happy for now, okay?"

He nodded and grinned. "Wanna celebrate?"

"I've got to look for Charlie to tell him. Where're we going?" I asked.

"Amusement park!" he cheered, jumping up and down excitedly, which look weird on such a big guy.

I winced. "No, please."

"Yes. They're fun! Come on, Bella, don't tell me you don't like rides?" he teased.

"I do, but the amusement park in Forks sucks," I whined, thinking of the boring roller coasters and lame prizes.

"That's why we're going to Port Angeles," he said. "I'm driving, let's go!"

Just as we reached the exit, Edward intercepted us, his family trailing behind him. It was accidental, but I couldn't help blaming him, anyway. It was silent for a moment, the awkwardness reaching high limits. I cleared my throat and took Jacob's hand, noticing the scrunching of Edward's face as I did.

I shoved past them gently and hurried to Jacob's car, breathing heavily.

"Hey, Bella, you okay?"

"Do I look like I'm okay?" I snapped.

"No," he said hurriedly. "I'm just asking."

I softened up; it wasn't his fault. "Sorry, he was just a bad reminder of the past."

"It's fine. I understand. You wanna continue our trip?"

"Sure," I nodded.

* * *

"Ah!" I screamed, burying my face in Jacob's shoulder as we went down yet another drop.

He let out an exultant yell and laughed, "You're such a wimp!"

I glared at him out of the corner of my watering eyes and hissed, "I'm considering dumping you right now, Jacob Ephraim Black."

He shut up pretty quickly.

After the ride, I decided that it was time for us to go. Of course, Jacob whined and complained about how we haven't been here long enough, but I was just about ready to take a very long nap.

The car ride home was quiet as we both contemplated matters that were worrying us. For me, they revolved around college, and I knew that Jacob was worried about our relationship after I left for college.

"Thanks for today," I said absentmindedly.

"No problem, I had fun," he said.

"I did, too. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Lova ya, Bella," he said before speeding away.

I stared at the retreating form of his car in shock. Was that a joking 'love ya' or a serious 'love ya'? I had reason to believe it was a serious one. I smiled as I realized that finally, I had discovered a man who would appreciate me for me and tell me he loved me without doing it with false intentions. I sighed happily and walked inside the house, where a dozing Charlie was waiting.

I woke him, led him to his bed, and fell asleep in my own.

What a day.

* * *

**5 months later **

Emma, my college friend's, phone let out a small noise. She picked it up and scrolled down the screen, using one finger.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "Sophie's mysterious boyfriend broke up with her!"

I looked up. "What? But they were doing so well. It's already been 2 months!"

"Yeah, but apparently, he told her that he couldn't commit himself to their relationship, as he had someone else he loved," Emma stated, looking shocked.

"That's terrible," I murmured. "Sophie must be devastated."

"She is, but we'll make her feel better."

"Right," I muttered, half-convinced.

"She's coming in a minute. Get prepared," Emma warned, straightening up.

I followed suit. Soon, the door popped open, revealing a teary Sophie. Her usually neatly set blonde hair was a mess, and her big blue eyes were surrounded by smudged mascara. She stumbled in, letting out short, muffled sobs.

"He-he b-broke up with me!" she bawled.

Emma got up, put a soothing arm around her shoulder, and led her to the floor beside me, where Sophie was then squished in the middle.

"He doesn't deserve you, Sophie," Emma insisted.

"You never met him!" Sophie accused.

"No one's good enough for you, Sophie," Emma revised.

Sophie rolled her eyes and resumed sniffling.

"Who was he, anyway?" I asked.

"Might as well tell you guys now that we aren't together anymore. He told me not to tell anyone, but you're my closest friends. It's only right that I tell you... right?" She sounded heavily in doubt.

"Yes, of course!" Emma encouraged.

"Okay," said Sophie. "His name is Edward. Edward Cullen."

**I decided that this story will end on the 21st chapter, a lovely number, as that is the day of my birthday. I know I said it'd be more, but I don't want to drag it out. This story's very close to over, so updates will be less frequent and longer.**


	15. Flutter

_Okay, I lied. Updates will not be less frequent and longer. In fact, they'll be more frequent and shorter. The truth is, this story is almost done, and I'm quite excited to finish it. So, here it is. The 15th chapter._

_So a Guest mentioned that she/he was done with this story because there were too many time skips and too little detail. Quite honestly, yes, I do include a whole lot of time skips, but I do them to make the story more interesting. Do you guys honestly want to read chapters and chapters of unnecessary fluff and accounts? I didn't think so. Soon, there'll be bunches of fluff, but not yet. And I've been getting some harsh Guest reviews for this story, so if you want to be mean, at least own up to it. Sign in, so I can reply to you personally._

I stared at Sophie in shock. Edward Cullen attended school here? Now that I thought about it, I did remotely remember hearing Edward talking to his friends about coming here, but I had been too distracted with Jacob to care. Sophie and Emma looked at me, curious expressions on their faces.

"Do you know him?" Sophie asked, tears now almost gone.

I nodded. "Yes, we went to high school together."

"There's more, isn't there?" predicted Emma.

Sophie looked at me expectantly. I gulped.

"We used to date," I admitted.

They both gasped dramatically.

"What?" said Sophie.

"Yeah," I muttered. "But I broke up with him."

"Why, he's amazing!" exclaimed Sophie.

"He... well, he cheated on me."

Sophie's jaw dropped as Emma cried, "No!"

"Yes. And it was with my previous best friend," I said bitterly.

Sophie muttered, "I didn't know. I'm sorry, Bella."

"No, it's not your fault," I said quickly.

"Thank God you guys split," Emma said. "You deserve much better, Sophie."

Sophie nodded and whispered, "Thanks for telling us, Bella."

"No problem," I replied dazedly, not really concentrating on them any longer.

* * *

For the next few months, I forgot about Edward. Sure, I was surprised, but at the end of the day, I had moved on, and I wasn't going to let one small discussion about him bring back any negative feelings. I talked to Jacob on a weekly basis and our bond was just as strong as ever.

Sophie found a new boyfriend, as we knew she would, and Emma stayed single, as expected. It was a peaceful life, and I enjoyed my days studying and chatting with my newfound friends.

Winter break was fast approaching, and Jacob would be visiting. I honestly couldn't wait for my friends to meet him. They were half-convinced I had made him up, so I wanted to prove them wrong. It was almost a thirst to prove them wrong, scarily enough.

* * *

The last few days before break were hectic. Professors crammed exams on us, final papers were due, and Sophie was constantly upset over her new boyfriend's actions.

On the last day before break, I couldn't help feeling relieved. Now that that was over, I could spend time lazing around with Jacob, Emma, and Sophie, and just have a good time before classes started again.

I waited excitedly for Jacob to pull up. The frigid air bit my cheeks, and I rubbed my hands together in order to try to get warmer. It didn't really help.

Ten minutes later, he still wasn't here, and I was getting restless. Finally, I decided to take a seat indoors and looked out the window for signs of Jacob's car. Five minutes later, a shadow fell over me and refused to move. I looked up. Standing there was Edward in all of his handsome glory. Since the last time I had seen him, he had grown out his hair a bit more, and gotten skinnier. The first was adorable; the second was slightly worrying. He was still wearing the same dark clothes as he always had.

His green eyes widened as he stared down at me. My eyes met his, and we were caught in an uncomfortable gaze. I was the first to break it.

"Hey," I muttered, ready to make amends with him.

I wasn't going to get together with him again, but I think that fate had given us this chance to make peace with one another, and finally just let go.

"Hi," he breathed out.

"It's been a while, huh," I mused, turning my gaze back out into the scenery outside.

"So you're not still mad at me?"

"I got over it a long time ago," I confessed.

"What?"

"Yeah, it's not a huge deal."

"Wow, so why didn't you talk to me again?"

"Well, I forgot about it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I forgave you. I didn't really want to talk to you again after that, but now, I feel like it's time to just let go of one another for once and for all. Besides, you love someone else, don't you?" I brought up, remembering what Sophie had mentioned the other day.

"No," he said, confused.

I turned to him again. "But... look, never mind. I just wanted you to know that we can finally part. By saying this, I'm hoping your stresses about our relationship will be lifted, because I know mine are. We never really got a clean break, so this is it, okay?"

He didn't reply; just stared at me with those beautiful almond-shaped green eyes of his.

"Edward?"

He just stood there, fists clenched, almost trembling. I gave him an odd look before repeating, "Edward?"

He ignored me, swiveled around, muttered something unintelligible to my ears, and stormed away, his baggy dark clothes flying behind him like a cape.

I shrugged, not really affected, turned back to the window, just in time to see Jacob pulling up to the doors. I squealed, ran out, and threw myself at him as soon as he was out the doors.

"Sorry I'm late," he murmured against my shoulder, his hot breath fanning out into the cold air.

"It's fine," I said, my voice muffled. "It's fine now that you're here."

* * *

That night, right after Jacob left to sleep at the motel he rented a room in, a knock sounded on my door. I looked through the peephole and saw Edward standing there, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his eyes looking at the floor.

I didn't know what to do. Sophie and Emma were sleeping, so I decided to head outside. I opened the door and slid out, making sure to shut the door quietly behind me.

"What're you doing here?" I asked bluntly.

He gazed at me, his eyes smoldering. "I'm here to tell you that I'm not okay with making a clean break with you. And that's because I don't want to. I'm not over you yet, Bella, and I don't know if I'll ever be. I'm figuring you thought I still loved someone because your friend, Sophie, told you I said that to her as I was breaking up with her, right? Well, that person I supposedly love is you, Bella. I've loved you ever since high school, when you came back, and even after you broke up with me, I still continued loving you. I tried to date other girls, Sophie being an example, but it wouldn't work. My mind was too consumed with thoughts of you. I knew you attended classes here, but it wasn't until we ran into each other today that I realized that I might as well confess before it's too late."

I wasn't breathing too well by that point. I stared at him, speechless and wide-eyed, my heart hammering in my chest, refusing to give me a break. There were millions of thoughts bumping around my mind. He loved me, still? He never stopped loving me? Do I even care?

The only person I could think of was Jacob.

"I'm sorry, Edward. You're too late. I'm dating someone, and I'm very happy with him," I replied coldly before shutting the door in his heartbroken, but beautiful face.

What was I to do now? I was so confused because for a second there...

I almost loved him again.


	16. Epiphany

**SUPER ESSENTIAL: I changed my username back to dayjune. Not xXDayJuneXx, but DayJune. I did this because I noticed the declining number of reviews for each chapter, and began feeling paranoid, thinking that maybe it was a result of people not realizing I changed my username. It may very well be a result of my chapters being less and less... good, for lack of a better word, but I'm not taking any chances. I'm excluding the "x"s because they're freaking complicated. Okay. Cool? Good.**

**I hope you enjoy :)**

"Ugh, why is my life so hard?" I muttered.

Emma and Sophie stared at me like I was crazy.

"Yes, your life must be so hard. You have the best boyfriend a girl can possibly have, and he's taking you out today to a picnic. Must be difficult being you," said Sophie sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Don't be mean. I actually do have a lot on my mind right now," I defended.

"Like what?" asked Emma skeptically.

"I think I'm in love with Edward Cullen," I blurted out.

Their jaws dropped in perfect unison. I laughed.

"You're laughing?" asked Sophie incredulously.

"You guys look funny," I said immaturely.

Emma sighed before demanding, "Spill. What happened? We thought Edward was a jerk!"

"Well, the other day, he came up to me and apologized, giving me this whole speech on how he loved me and how he regretted ever hurting me. I felt really... warm and fuzzy inside when he did," I said, thinking back to the moment. "I don't know if I would say 'in love'. That was an exaggeration, but in all seriousness, I think I may be harboring a slight... crush on him at the moment," I confessed, biting my lower lip, deep in thought.

"But... Jacob!" pointed out Sophie. "He'll be so upset if you ever broke up with him."

"Who said I was going to break up with him?"

"Well, you're not going to date both of them... right?" said Sophie confusedly.

"Of course not! I just don't know if I'll ever go out with Edward. I feel like this little crush I have on him might be the result of his little monologue yesterday night. He does have a way with words," I said dreamily.

"Wow, Bella, you've got it bad. You never get this... gooey over a boy," Sophie said, wrinkling her buttony nose a little.

"No," I insisted. "Sure, I'm attracted to him, but how can I forgive him after all that he's done to me! Besides, you're right. Jacob would be heartbroken if we broke up. Plus, we were together for a while, and cutting off ties with him now because of another boy would seem so terrible."

"Look, Bella. I'm all for consistency in a relationship, but even more than that, I want your relationship with Jacob to be real. And I have a feeling that you and Edward will make a great couple, reconcile and all. Jacob can find someone else. Quite honestly, I think that you and Jacob are just too... comfortable around one another. And not in a romantic way. You guys act like you're best buds or something. Like two friends just chilling out, you know? I think you need more," Emma insisted.

"But..."

"No buts," Sophie cut in firmly.

"Wouldn't you be upset? I mean, you did go out with him at a point," I mentioned.

"I'm completely over him. Besides, who am I to get in the way of true love?" Sophie replied.

"I just... I can't break up with Jacob, guys. I wish that this could be easier, but it can't. I need to make a decision, and I can't seem to. I feel like, at this point, my choice really defines a lot. If I left Jacob, could I possibly feel happy?" I questioned aloud.

"Come on, Bella. It's just your college boyfriend. Not the biggest deal ever," Emma laughed.

"I know, I know," I muttered. "But I still feel like a split-second decision would really mess up things big time. I need to think more."

And think I did. I considered all afternoon as my friends went out to the mall, and thought before falling asleep.

Jacob made me feel comfortable and loved. He was a huge ray of sunshine perpetually shining down on me. His smile lit up my day, and the way he acted around me made me feel cared for. He was a perfect guy, and could I actually bear hurting him?

Meanwhile, Edward was this enigmatic, charming man who I knew since high school. I couldn't imagine not being with him. While he wasn't the sun that kept me alive during the day, he was the beautiful, shimmering moon that made the night sky twinkle. He was so unreachable, yet he wanted me. How could I deny him?

It was weird. Just a week ago, I hadn't thought of him once. Then, yesterday, I was rude to him. Now, I was contemplating whether or not I should get back together with him. Life was weird like that.

A knock sounded from the door. I got up and lazily padded over to it. When I peeked through the peephole, I caught sight of Jacob waving at me, a wide grin on his face. I smiled and popped the door open. Jacob picked me up and twirled me around, letting out noises of exultation as he did so. Clearly, he was in a good mood.

"Hey, Jacob. What's got you feeling so happy?" I asked, my voice muffled as he continued spinning me around.

He set me down, turned to me, and announced, "I'm just so happy to see you, Bellsie!"

I growled at the nickname, and he held his hands up in surrender. "I'm so glad to see you're as feminine and sweet as ever," he joked, chuckling a little as he shook his head side to side.

"Oh, be quiet. Look, Jacob, let's talk," I said in a stern tone, fearing he would take it as a joke.

His face grew somber and he nodded. "Sure, why don't we sit on your couch?"

I agreed, so we plopped down, each holding a cup of water. "What do you need to tell me?"

"How long do you suppose we'll be together?" I asked him, awaiting his answer almost eagerly.

"3 years," he replied bluntly.

"Really?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, why? Do you expect differently," he said with a smirk.

"Well, Jacob, here's the dilemma," I began.

Jacob's face fell at the indication of bad news.

"Do you remember Edward?" I asked him.

"Edward?" He looked confused.

"You know... the guy who used to be my boyfriend who cheated on me..." I hinted.

His face lit up in recognition. "Oh! That guy! So, what about him?"

"Yeah, so I saw him the other day. He actually attends this school," I revealed.

Jacob's face fell. "Are you leaving me for him?"

"I'm not going to sugarcoat this. The truth is- I don't know. When I saw him, I felt something. It might have been negative, but I'm almost sure it was... love. And I don't want to mislead you if that is the case, so I feel like it's best if we cut this short before you get hurt worse. I am not- and I repeat, not- going to flee to him, kiss him, and tell him it's all okay. I'm not stupid, contrary to popular belief. But I'm going to mull some thoughts over, talk to him again, and possibly- and I say this term with much uncertainty- start a new relationship with him again," I finished.

Jacob's face twisted into anger. "Bella, he hurt you so badly, you stumbled blindly into the woods. I was the one who helped you find home again. When you were hurting afterward, I was the one who talked to you and comforted you. I was with you throughout this whole period of time, and as soon as you see him again, you leave me? Do you realize how bad that sounds?"

I winced. It did.

"I'm sorry, Jacob. But my heart is telling me to go after Edward, and I know that because I only live once, I will. When I grow up, I might regret it," I said.

"You might regret breaking up with me," he countered.

"I might," I agreed. "But I think that I wouldn't regret not going out with you. I would more regret the loss of our friendship. Meanwhile, with Edward, we didn't really have a huge friendship. Our relationship was purely a boyfriend-girlfriend one. When I grow up, I think I'd regret not even trying to form a true friendship with him to see what he was really like before I shunned him."

"Wait, what do you 'the loss of our friendship'?" Jacob questioned in surprise.

"Well, you're mad at me, aren't you?" I asked curiously.

"Sure, I'm mad. But I'm mostly just sad. And I would never want for our friendship to end. I'll stay your friend, if that's all I can be," he replied with a dim smile on his face.

I felt tears coming, but I pushed them down. "Jacob, you don't have to if it hurts you," I told him thickly.

"No, I will. I refuse to be one of those guys- the type that avoids their girlfriend after she breaks up with him. We were friends before we were love partners, and I want to continue being friends. Is that fine with you?"

"It's perfect," I said with a huge smile on my face.


End file.
